Dangerous Games
by the Black Rose
Summary: HYxRP. Two boys become two men on the same wrong side of the law, with only one ticket to redemption. 'Love doesn’t really exist. It’s purely a sentiment on greeting cards and found in sappy romance novels. A myth....'
1. Tell me they're lying, please...

Dangerous Games 

by the Black Rose 

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 1

The trigger pulsed against his fingertip as Heero wrestled with that inner sting of conscience that always seemed to plague him at just the wrong moment in time. He'd heard the old adage said by men in this 'business' that the more they killed, the easier it became. He had noticed no similar pattern in himself. 

The quiet plug of the silencer jarred him back to reality as droplets of hot liquid showered bits of exposed skin and clutched at the fabric of his shirt. Gore-streaked knuckles dripped blood onto the darkened pavement of the alley behind the small grease pit of an Italian restaurant that saw more than its fair share of violence. The now lifeless body sagged from its kneeling position into a heap of flesh and bones on the cool, bubbling concrete. 

"Here," Vinny said, tossing a small towel at his partner. Heero caught it and proceeded to wipe the blood off his pistol and silencer before he threw the weapon in his shoulder holster. He held his breath, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the carnage lying before him – the corpse leaking a trail of darkened goo over the bits of teeth and severed fingers lost courtesy of Vinny's more persuasive nature. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up at the large, thick-necked Italian. "It's good to have yous back, Yuy."

Heero nodded and grabbed up the suit jacket he had discarded earlier atop a cardboard box, then left the remains of a nameless drug dealer amidst the garbage that he was.

They entered the too-familiar office of the Barton mansion that he hadn't seen in months – crowded with elegance rather than scholarly materials. A few men lingered, peering over the top of the open laptop upon his entrance.

"Hey! Yuy's back!" A dark-haired man in his mid thirties stood quickly up from his chair.

Heero nodded. "Tanner." 

"How was...what was it Bolivia?" 

"Argentina."

Tanner shrugged. "Bolivia, Argentina, who cares? You're back!"

"Where's Trowa?"

"Out with the latest dish," another man with curly auburn hair and wearing suspenders over a halfway-unbuttoned shirt answered from behind Tanner.

Heero arched an eyebrow. "Figures."

"Yeah, what did you expect him to change?" Tanner laughed.

"He's been with this one for a while, now. Since you left, Yuy." 

That was a change. "Really?" 

He turned at the sound of Vinny stepping into the room, bringing with him two large cups of coffee. The large Italian man handed one to Heero.

"Where's ours, Vinny?" The auburn haired man called out.

"Fuck you, J.T." Vinny's thick voice boomed across the room. "I ain't playin' nursemaid to a cheesedick like you. Me and Yuy had real work to do tonight, not just spyin' on the boss and his broad."

J.T. rolled his eyes. "You should come see her, Yuy."

Heero shrugged, then took a sip of his coffee. He hated those bimbos Trowa always seemed to have crowding around at the most inopportune times. He was in no hurry to meet another one. "I'll see her soon enough." 

* * * * * * 

The next morning, Heero showered and dressed, then headed over to the Barton residence for a general meeting, supposedly welcoming him back after a six-month absence while he was taking care of Barton Foundation 'business' in South America. 

He watched the usual goons he hadn't missed banter on about nothing from his corner of the room. Barton was sitting nearby at his desk, having a discussion with some remote underling in hushed tones over the phone.

Irritated, Heero leaned back against the wall, ducking his head and crossing his arms – waiting for the meeting to begin. But the sound of heels tapping doggedly on the marble floor outside the room caught his ear above the din of the gathering.

She burst into the room like a vision. Golden tresses long and loose flew wildly behind her as she moved. Heero stood up from his relaxed pose against the wall in the dark corner of the study; he had never seen such beauty.

A deadly chorus of clicks rose above the faint hum of conversation as several large men dressed in tailored suits suddenly came to attention at her surprise entrance. Their guns were drawn and pointed at her, but she paid them no heed.

"Relena," Trowa said, rising from behind his desk. His long bangs hid most of his face from others, but didn't obstruct his vision of the outside world. And they could never be enough to hide from her. Her eyes saw right through him.

She had been crying, he observed. Her eyes were slightly puffy and red, and her countenance more pale than usual. He flinched and tried to steel himself for what he knew was coming.

"Tell me they're lying, please, Trowa." 

Her light blue eyes wavered in the overhead light. He motioned gracefully towards the other men in the room. The guns were put away.

"Relena, I can't deceive you anymore," he said, his face set and hard despite the way his heart pounded in his chest.

The accusation in her eyes was more than he could bear and he sat back down in his chair. 

"I told father he was crazy. I believed in you, Trowa…." Tears that were threatening suddenly spilled down her cheeks. "I believed in you..."

He just looked at her in silence, a knife splitting his heart into pieces, spilling its blood to the floor. Every moment he was with her, he wished he could be the man she saw in him. But he had been born into a life of crime, and adopted into 'the family'; he had a duty to his father, and his grandfather. He would live and die - violently and before his time - by the same code that they did. She deserved so much better than that, but selfishly held her to him as long as she would allow. And their time together was ending now, like this, as he always knew it would. He met her gaze, not moving or speaking, but letting his love shine for a moment in his severe emerald eyes.

She looked away. 

"Do you know what trouble I've caused? They're investigating Father - saying he has ties with the mob because of me. I said such horrible things to him...I loved you, Trowa," she said in a soft, lyrical voice.

_"Loved,"_ he thought. _"Past tense."_ He closed his eyes and turned his chair around to where the back now faced her 

"Heero," Trowa said in a commanding voice to his most trusted associate. "Get her out of here."

"Yes, sir," Heero replied and led her out of the room. She didn't resist.

The driver held the door open and helped her into the backseat of the large black automobile situated at the front of the house - just one of many that belonged to the Barton family. 

"I can't go back to that house," she said in voice barely above a whisper. 

"It is never so bad that you can't go home."

Her eyes darted up, meeting his in the rearview mirror. They were such a beautiful shade of blue. She had seen them before…. A ghost of a memory surfaced in her mind:

_She walked beside a young man with unruly dark brown hair that hung rebelliously in his face. They strolled hand in hand, along the sand-strewn beach while the sun continued its languid descent on a cold but clear winter day. _

_She saw just a flash of those blue eyes in her mind as she recalled him turning his head to look down at her, "So, why, then, didn't you turn me in?"_

_"Because I saw your eyes…" _

She shook her head, trying to forget. "You don't know what I said to father."

Heero saw her staring at him in the rearview mirror and felt his pulse quicken under her scrutiny. _It's been ten years…_

He swallowed and averted his gaze. "I'm sure I can imagine. But he loves you, and will forgive you." Words uttered ten years ago rung in his ears like it was yesterday:

_"I love my daughter…" _

Silence weighed between them for a long moment before she spoke again. "May I come sit up there with you?"

His eyebrows shot up at her request, but he didn't protest. She got out and slipped into the passenger's seat.

He drove off towards the governor's mansion.

They rode in silence for most of the way, until a glance over at her from the corner of his eye told him she was crying. "Miss Darlian?"

Her shoulders shook as she tried to conceal her face behind a shower of golden hair. Sighing inwardly, he turned into a nearby parking lot and switched off the car. He put his hand on her shoulder, sliding across the bench seat towards her. She looked up at him, not hiding the pain she was feeling, and then buried her face into his chest, sobbing. 

He held her as she cried, his calloused hands slipping through silky strands as he stroked her hair. He felt his insides twist into strangely familiar knots at the sensation of having her in his arms.

_"Now what am I going to do?" _he asked himself. _"This is not part of the job. Comforting Darlian's daughter…falling for Darlian's daughter, again, will get us both killed,"_ he thought as he looked down at the beautiful angel in his arms.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Sure took your time, Yuy," Trowa commented as Heero walked into his study later that evening; he looked down at his watch.

"She didn't want to go home. Then she was crying, what was I supposed to do? Dump her off at a bus stop?" Heero glared at his boss.

Trowa raised an eyebrow and looked at his friend. Heero's dark brown hair was arranged in its typical fashion, falling into his face, half-covering intense blue eyes set in an expressionless mask. He wondered briefly about his friend's actions; Heero Yuy never talked back, and he never seemed to care about anyone's feelings. Not even his own.

"Where did you take her?" 

"Home. She finally came around." 

"Did she, say anything…?"

Heero started at the question. Trowa Barton was as cold-blooded as they come; he couldn't actually love anyone. "No," Heero replied tersely. "Just that she was worried about her father."

Trowa nodded and dismissed him; his other associates had left hours before. Slowly, deliberately, he opened his top desk drawer and pulled out the picture he kept of her. He looked at the woman in the photograph; her long blond hair spilled down her shoulders in waves framing a face with delicately feminine features and a near-flawless pale complexion. She smiled for the camera – a smile that never quite reached her sapphire eyes. 

A single tear escaped his lashes and silently trailed down his cheek an instant before the glass of the picture frame hit the wall, shattering into a million pieces. 

Heero opened the door, gun drawn – alert eyes shifting from side to side, searching the room. "Are you all right?"

"Get out."

Heero stiffened, his eyes taking in the photograph on the floor, covered in glass shards. He nodded and closed the door behind him.

_"I finally found his weakness."_ Heero smirked and tucked his gun into its holster. He walked soundlessly down the hall.

Next


	2. Does she remember you, Heero?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 2

Heero awoke the next morning with a plan of action in mind. He dressed quickly in expertly tailored black pinstripe slacks with a crisp white dress shirt and solid red tie. He put his shoulder holster on, and tucked away his 9mm before shrugging into the double-breasted blazer. He then went to find Trowa.

"I've been thinking," Heero growled.

Trowa looked up from the paper. Heero had found him where he always was at that time of day, eating breakfast and reading the paper in his extravagantly decorated dining room.

"About?" he inquired, laying the newspaper aside and focusing on Heero.

"Her."

Trowa's eyebrow quirked up in surprise. "Why?"

"She's dangerous. She can identify too many of us, now. And with the cops crawling all over her father, she may be too willing to deal."

"Hn…" Trowa lowered his head and hid behind his hair.

"And she's missing. Police scanner this morning has the department out looking for her."

"Just what are you proposing?" Trowa asked quietly.

"Let me find her. I'll make sure she doesn't talk," Heero replied, patting the holstered gun hidden by his suit jacket.

"Find her, but I want her back alive."

Heero growled his displeasure, but Trowa had dismissed him. He got in his shiny black Mercedes and left.

An hour later, Heero made his way through the run down Allen Café on the outskirts of town. It was little more than a truck stop with heavily tinted windows, which made it look dark even in the brightest sunlight. It was the anonymity of the place, not the food that drew him here.

He sat down in a dimly lit booth and ordered breakfast. He didn't have to wait long. The door opened, letting in an uninvited burst of blinding sunlight. In its midst, a young man entered wearing a tan sports coat, rumpled dress shirt, and brown slacks, the usual detective clothing. The long braid down his back, however, was anything but typical, as was the grin on his face. He made his way to Heero's table and slid across the tattered vinyl seat facing him.

"Long time, no see, buddy!" Duo exclaimed.

"Yeah," Heero said as the waitress delivered the plate of greasy sausage and eggs-over-easy.

Duo made a face. "That stuff will kill you, man. You need a woman…"

Heero glared at him for a moment. "How's Hilde?"

"She's great. Kids are running her ragged, though. Still as beautiful as the day I married her… Speaking of Hilde, she wanted me to tell you she has this friend…"

Heero glared at him again.

"Oh come on, she's really nice…"

"I didn't come here for a date, I came here for information," Heero said flatly.

"Yeah, yeah…you'll probably die a bachelor. No woman is gonna put up with your shit…."

"Darlian's daughter," Heero growled.

Duo's eyes widened in surprise. "What about her?"

_A memory from high school suddenly flashed in Duo's mind. He was standing at his locker talking to Heero when he heard musical laughter floating down the school hallway. He turned and saw a beautiful blond girl walking towards them. He elbowed Heero to get his attention…_

"She's missing. What's the department got?" Heero asked, startling Duo back to the present.

"Barton's group doesn't have her?"

"No."

"Well, her father was convinced he did. We had our own suspicions, of course."

"I took her home myself yesterday. She had to have left sometime after that."

"You took her home? Does she…" _Does she remember you?_

"What was in the report?" Heero asked, quickly cutting off the rest of the sentence.

"They suspected that she took off. A few articles of clothing, and her passport were missing from her room; her car was gone. It was located this morning in a parking garage downtown. Dead-end, there. We checked with the hotels in the area, no one matching her description checked in last night, but we have yet to interview their night staffs. We have our people checking the airports."

Heero nodded as Duo ran through the checklist, sounding like the methodical detective he was.

"That's all I have," Duo said, watching his friend for any sign of emotion.

"That's all I need. Thanks," Heero replied, tossing some bills on the table for the meal as he got up.

Duo rose from the table and moved to block his friend's exit. "Why…."

"You don't need to know that," Heero cut him off gruffly, pushing past him towards the door.

"But the deal was…." Duo began weakly, reaching out to grab Heero's arm to try and restrain him.

Heero turned back around and grabbed his shirt collar, and glared at him as he spoke, "The deal's off. I can't afford another liability right now. You have a family, and I don't need them on my conscience…" He let go of Duo's shirt, and pushed him away.

Duo stared at his retreating back. "You need to be careful, too, buddy," he said under his breath.


	3. Does he remember me?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 3

A tall man with dark brown hair and eyes stood before a crowd of journalists. His face, normally kind and compassionate, was contorted in an expression of anger.

"My record on violent crime supports my claim. Just six months ago, I approved funding for a special task force on organized crime. The FBI has been through all of my financial records, there have been no contributions from the Barton Foundation to my campaign. These allegations are totally false! I will not dignify any further questions on the topic with a response." The cameras continued to click as the governor stepped into his car.

"Any word on Relena, Zeches?" Mr. Darlian asked a man sitting next to him with long blond hair and wearing a well-decorated police uniform. The long black limousine pulled slowly away from the curb.

"None. We're still working on it. We have word from one of our detectives that Barton doesn't have her. So, we're concentrating our efforts on the airports."

"Good. I want her back. And I want that scum Trowa Barton behind bars!"

"I know. We're doing all we can."

"No we're not. I want to make that bastard hurt. I want round the clock surveillance on that guy and his people. If he so much as litters, I want one of our guys there to bust him! It's time to put our task force in action."

Around five o'clock that evening, a man in a black pinstripe suit leaned back against the wall, apparently reading a newspaper through dark brown bangs that hid his face. He was actually watching the throngs of people make their way through the busy metropolitan airport.

A beautiful woman suddenly caught his eye – about five foot seven, dark brown hair and lovely blue eyes. She was dressed casually in a pink cable-knit sweater and a pair of black jeans. She clasped a small duffel bag in her left hand; a small black leather backpack was thrown haphazardly over her right shoulder. He watched her check in at the ticket counter, then followed her towards the concourse. She went into the ladies room, while he took up a position beside the exit.

The woman left the restroom, and glanced around. Suddenly, she was grabbed violently from behind and a large, callused hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her scream as she was dragged backwards into a janitorial closet. The door shut, and she was turned toward her captor. Her eyes grew wide, and the hand was clamped over her mouth again.

"Relena, I don't have time for this. There are cops crawling all over this place." he hissed.

She bit down hard into the sensitive flesh of his palm, but he didn't flinch. He continued to glare at her. She looked at him like she wanted to say something. He reluctantly removed his hand, poised to grab her if she tried to call out.

"Trowa sent you?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yes."

She tried to scream, but he covered her mouth. He glared at her again.

"I'm to bring you back alive, but he didn't say anything about unharmed. I will shoot you, if necessary."

_Her mind drifted to a recollection of cold blue eyes glaring down at her outside a classroom…_

_"I'll kill you…"_

Suddenly, the doorknob turned. Thinking quickly, Heero pushed her against the wall, and seized her mouth in a rough kiss.

_A flash of a memory long buried in his mind – wet hair clinging to his face as he stared down into passionate sapphire eyes._

The startled janitor dropped his mop with a thud, causing the two to break apart. Heero looked at the man sheepishly, and grabbed Relena's hand, pulling her out of the closet. He slipped a bill into the janitor's hand and winked. Then he dragged the stunned girl through the exit to the parking garage, and drove off.

They didn't speak a word until they arrived at Barton's large country manor. His instructions were to get her situated there, and watch over her until Trowa arrived.

He helped her out of the car, and she promptly slapped him across the face. It surprised him more than it hurt.

"That's for kissing me without my permission," Relena said angrily.

Heero smirked. "You kissed back."

Relena flushed a deep crimson color as she passed him walking into the house.

She unpacked her meager belongings, and removed her dark brown wig. "Damn him for recognizing me," she thought.

After brushing her hair out, she flopped onto the bed, and closed her eyes. But as tired as she was, she couldn't sleep. Her thoughts kept returning to what remained of the wreckage that was her life.

She had gone home to face her father, after he had dropped her off. She remembered suddenly how it felt for him to hold her while she cried in the car. Shaking off the memory, she thought back to her encounter with her father.

_"Relena, thank God you're all right! Where have you been?"_

_Before she could answer, he started shouting at her, "You went to see him, didn't you?" _

_She nodded, her eyes not meeting his._

_He continued his tirade, accusing her of wanting to cause trouble for him, and not caring about anyone but herself. Then came the final insult, "I didn't spend all that money sending you to law school so you could become some mobster's harlot!" _

_She slapped him hard across the face. "That's it! I'm leaving! I don't need you to make my decisions for me!" she cried angrily._

_Relena stomped up to her room, threw some clothes in a bag, and made her way back to the front door. _

_"If you leave, don't ever come back," his face was red with anger._

_"I won't!" she yelled as she slammed the door._

Heero watched her toss and turn on the bed. She cried out, and he saw tears glittering on her cheeks. He knelt by her side, and gently shook her awake. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing beautiful blue-green orbs.

She gazed at him sleepily as she tried to remember where she was. Then slowly rose into a sitting position on the bed. Suddenly, she frowned. "You never told me your name," she said, quietly regarding him.

"Heero Yuy," he said flatly, turning his back to her. He smiled ruefully to himself. "She doesn't remember me," he thought and ran his fingers through his hair.

Across the room, she looked at him, startled. The name had brought back memories from what seemed a lifetime ago. "Does he remember me?" she wondered. They had been only 16 then….

_An older woman, about fifty with dark brown hair streaked with white, greeted her, "Relena. Come, meet our new volunteer." Relena smiled hesitantly and crossed the room. He certainly didn't look very friendly._

_"Relena Darlian, this is Heero Yuy…"_

"Are you hungry?" he asked sharply, interrupting her thoughts. "I came to see if you wanted dinner." He was still looking towards the door, so she couldn't see his face. His head was bowed, and his body tense with anger.

"Yes, " she replied absently.

"It will be waiting downstairs, whenever you are ready," he said flatly, and opened the door to leave.

"Heero," she called out, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned and stared at a point behind her, fixing a blank expression on his face. He caught his breath for a moment, as she remained silent.

She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't find the words. All that came out was "What's for dinner?"

He scowled with annoyance. "Lasagna," he replied and walked out the door.

She bowed her head. "He doesn't remember," she whispered to no one.

Heero entered the library and made the call to Trowa.

"I can't get away right now, Yuy. Some important business came up. Stay there and watch her for me."

"Trowa, I'm not some God damn babysitter! Now, if you've got important business, I should be there, not here," Heero said, glaring at the video screen.

"I can't trust anyone else right now. I'll explain later. It won't be for long, I promise. Take care of her for me."

"Trowa, you're too soft on her. She'll be your downfall."

"I know. But I can't help it. I love her, Yuy."

Heero punched the keyboard, angrily terminating the connection. "Damn it!" He closed his eyes as he tried to get control of his emotions. "Trowa is a heartless bastard. He is not your friend. He would kill you if he knew…."

His train of thought was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Where is the cook?" Relena asked softly, avoiding his gaze. "I went to go get another serving of lasagna, but I couldn't find it."

Heero mumbled something unintelligible.

"Excuse me?"

"There isn't a cook. It's just us. I made the lasagna, and I put the rest in the fridge. I didn't think you'd want any more."

She couldn't help it. Her lips twitched into a grin and she giggled.

He glared at her, "What?"

"I just can't imagine you cooking. But the lasagna is delicious!" She laughed again as she left the room.

Heero closed his eyes and continued where he left off, "She is a distraction. I do not care for her anymore. That kiss meant nothing…." His thoughts traveled back to the kiss they shared earlier that day, then drifted unwillingly to another time…long ago.

_They stood there in the rain, within arms reach, but not touching. Neither one said a word, afraid of breaking the deafening silence surrounding them. She reached out, and tentatively brushed from his eyes a stray strand of hair darkened almost black with rain. He wasn't sure if the tremor coursing through his body was caused by her touch or the bitterly cold winter weather. _

_He grabbed her wrist almost violently, startling her, and pulled her to him. He bent his head towards hers… _

"Heero?"

He opened his eyes in irritation. She was standing there holding a second plate of lasagna, looking at him with laughter in her eyes.

"What?"

"Why were you blushing?"

He glared at her. "What do you want?"

"Some company while I eat. If you won't come to the table, may I stay in here?"

"NO! No no no no no!" his mind screamed. "If you must," he said aloud.

"So how long am I here for?" she asked, her face suddenly serious.

"I don't know," he swiveled his chair so that she was facing his profile. He didn't want to look at her.

"Why am I here, Heero?"

"You know too much. You're a danger to the Foundation," he said without emotion.

She looked at him thoughtfully. "So Trowa wants you to kill me?"

"Not now. Eventually, though, he will," he said as he watched her from the corner of his eye.

She took another bite of lasagna, and chewed slowly. "He's not very nice, is he?"

Heero turned and looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.

"I mean he's going to kill me because I know too much, when I don't know anything at all. But, if he knew that you had kissed me, today, he'd probably kill you, too."

"Hn…" he looked away again.

"Kind of like wanting your cake and eating it, too."

"You seem awful cavalier for someone who just found out your boyfriend is going to kill you."

"Ex-boyfriend. I could never love someone like him…" she said wistfully.

Her eyes met his with a sudden intensity that sent electricity down his spine. And in that instant he knew her strength. She looked away. He spun his chair around, turning the back to face her, and closed his eyes. "Trowa, you have quite a weakness, indeed…."

_His mind taunted him," She never loved you."_


	4. You're my captor?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 4

Relena lay awake staring up at the darkened ceiling. She thought about what Heero had said at dinner. What was she going to do? Stay there and wait for her execution?

She started to think of him, how she felt he wouldn't ever harm her. Then she pushed aside those stray thoughts. Obviously, they had both changed since they last saw one another. "We're different people now," she thought sadly.

Relena wondered again why he left all those years ago. Then a frown crossed her face, and she angrily forced herself to put him out of her mind.

She cautiously opened her door, and stepped out into the long hallway. The moonlight streaming in the front windows of the house illuminated her figure as she stood wearing an ankle-length, champagne colored nightgown. She put one bare foot in front of the other, trying not to disturb the stillness of night. Suddenly, she heard a clicking sound behind her, almost deafening in the silence. She froze.

"Going somewhere?"

She turned and saw metal gleaming in the moonlight, it's barrel pointed directly at her. Her eyes traveled upwards to the man holding the gun and with it, her life. "Heero..." she called out to him.

Pale light from the moon played upon his features, casting dark shadows over his eyes and making his expression indecipherable. The forlorn sound of his name on her lips caused him to falter, for just a fraction of a second. "Relena, go back to your room." His whispered words seemed to echo in the darkness.

"So this is the way it is, then?" she asked him softly. "You're my captor."

"Yes. You knew that already."

"Yes..." her voice trailed off thoughtfully. She shook her head sadly, and looked at the ground. He couldn't help but admire how the blond hair spilling over her shoulders shimmered almost silver in the moonlight or the way her silken gown caressed her body.

"All right." She moved gracefully back towards her room. Heero followed, fascinated by the surreal way she seemed to float down the hallway. At the door, she turned and looked up at him. Her sudden movement caused him to get too close to her for his own liking. Their lips were just inches away from one another.

Inside the police department, detectives were putting on their bulletproof vests, and getting their assignments. Duo yawned. "Ugh, why can't these Barton guys do their drug deals at a decent hour?" He asked while not-too-cheerfully pouring himself another cup of the department sludge.

"You guys call this stuff coffee? I think it could probably walk out of here on its own!"

"Quiet, Maxwell! Did you get your assignment?" Sergeant Une barked.

"Yeah, yeah. If the guys come running out, catch them or shoot if necessary. Got it." He called out flippantly, looking bored.

"Maxwell, make sure you only shoot if their guys come running out, I don't want a repeat of last time," a serious-looking man with jet black hair and dark brown eyes said shooting him an angry glare. He was the undercover agent that set up the deal. Last time, Duo shot him in his bulletproof vest before he realized that they were on the same side.

"Sorry, Wu-fei, it's not my fault you make such a believable slime ball," Duo said with a grin. He ducked just in time as a flying stapler whizzed by.

Trowa stood leaning across his desk. The light from the moon cast his shadow across the figure sitting opposite of him.

"Tonight?" Trowa smiled slightly. "That's unusually sloppy of them. Why are they forcing their hand so early?"

"The Governor has come down hard on the chief. He wants revenge for you turning his daughter against him," the figure replied.

"Relena...Yes, we have her. She came on her own," he smirked.

The only reply was light laughter.

"We'll be ready for them," Trowa said sharply.

"What? You're going to go anyway? But I thought..."

"No, the Governor has declared war. We won't retreat," Trowa said solemnly, his green eyes flashing.

The videophone rang and snapped Heero back to reality. He pulled away from the tempting lips that were holding him mesmerized in the doorway to Relena's room.

He pushed her back a few steps and closed the door. "Stay in there," he growled.

He made his way back to his own room, and accepted the connection. Trowa appeared onscreen.

"Did I wake you?"

"No."

"Hn..."

"What do you want?" Heero asked impassively.

"How is she?"

"Fine." He paused, an evil smirk forming on his lips. "When are you going to let me kill her?"

Trowa smiled slightly, "You couldn't kill her now, if I ordered you to."

"Hn. You underestimate me, or my loyalty." Heero's voice was cold.

"No. You have been faithful to the organization - I would never question that."

"Then what did you call for?"

"Darlian's declared war. His task force is attempting to strike the first blow tonight."

"Hn..."

"You're going to send someone else to come baby-sit, so I can be there for this, right?"

"No. I can't trust anyone but you, my friend. I need you there with her."

"You're being paranoid. I want in."

"I'm not paranoid, I have my reasons. Stay there until I tell you otherwise. Out."

Trowa's face disappeared from the screen.

Heero looked at the blank monitor. "What are you up to, Trowa?"

Everyone was in place outside the abandoned warehouse. Wu-fei and his partner showed up to make the buy, and met with their contacts. The role-playing went well, the dealers seemed to fall into the trap. After the exchange was made, Wu-fei reached in his pocket to pull his badge when gunshots rang out. Instantly, he dove for the ground, taking cover behind anything that might shield him.

The other officers outside heard gunshots. Duo and his partner advanced toward the door, when more of Barton's group appeared outside the warehouse and began firing at the detectives. Duo was hit in chest and shoulder, the bulletproof vest saving his life. He ran for cover, but was shot in the leg before reaching safety. He crawled the rest of the way before collapsing.

Meanwhile, Wu-fei had taken out three guys on his own. His partner picked off an additional gunman before he was shot in the head. Wu-fei grabbed his partner's fallen gun and dove for the door. Short bursts of machine gun fire sent bullets flying after him.

A brash young female detective returned fire to cover Wu-fei as he emerged headfirst from the war zone. She quickly grabbed her radio to call for help. "Detective Noin to base... We need back up assistance, and a medic out here, now!"

"Roger that."

Sirens could be heard in the distance. The remaining perpetrators fled to their vehicles. The few detectives that could still hold a gun, fired at them in vain. As the sirens drew closer, their destination was deathly silent.

A phone that hadn't rung in months broke the stillness of four o'clock in the morning. Heero stirred, and fumbled for the receiver.

"Hello?" His voice sounded hoarse, his mind was still groggy.

"Yuy."

"Yes."

"Duo's been hurt. He's at First Methodist Hospital."

There was a click and then dial tone.

"Shit!" Heero sat up and ran a hand through his hair.


	5. Am I supposed to feel something for the ...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 5

A few hours later, he locked Relena in her room with the promise to return soon. To say she didn't like it was an understatement. She responded by beating on the door and yelling at the top of her lungs. Heero was taken aback a bit by her outburst.

"Stop that," he ordered through the door.

"Let me out!"

"I will be back in a couple of hours. Just stay there, and we can do anything you want when I get back," he said, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. It was risky, what he was doing, not only because he was disobeying orders, but also because he was visiting a cop – in plain sight.

No one in the organization knew about his friendship with Duo Maxwell. And he intended to keep it that way. They had known each other for practically a lifetime. Briefly, he thought back to second grade when they had been caught feeding the class hamster to a snake the visiting zookeeper had brought along for show. They were given detention for a week, and had been friends ever since.

In Heero's present situation, it was a risky acquaintance to keep, but had come in handy many times over the last three years. Not only for his job, but it also helped him stay sane. He couldn't leave him there; he had to know if he was all right. Some things were just too important…

Duo lay there under florescent lights glaring down harshly in a colorless room that smelled strongly of disinfectant. His skin appeared almost translucent, it was so pale. He wore an oxygen mask over his face; hideous tubes ran seemingly everywhere. His wife Hilde stood just outside the room. She was a slight woman physically, with dark hair and light blue eyes. She stood straight and still, staring through the little window to ICU. Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned around to see… "Heero!" she exclaimed, and hugged him.

"Shhhh…Hilde, he's going to be all right," he said in his best attempt at a soothing voice. It still came across gruffly, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her while she cried.

She pulled away and nodded, but the tears still coursed down her cheeks.

"What happened?" he asked.

"There was a drug bust last night. Supposed to be routine… you know the drill," she gulped for air to continue.

"But Barton's group didn't want to go down without a fight, and opened fire. Several officers were wounded; four were killed. Including Duo's partner…." She broke down sobbing again.

Heero heard the words, but it was like his brain didn't comprehend them. He closed his eyes to let it all sink in. He was suddenly glad Duo never told Hilde about his job.

"Why don't you sit down for a moment? I want to go talk to his doctor."

She nodded, and he left the waiting area. He found out from the attending physician that Duo's prognosis was fairly positive, the bullet having narrowly missed the main artery in his leg. However, it was still touch-and-go since he hadn't woken up after the surgery. The longer he stayed in a coma, the worse his chances were of coming out of it. Heero nodded, and thanked the doctor before making his way back to Hilde.

He stopped at the window, and looked in on his friend. The sight that greeted him was one that he wouldn't forget. He went pale with anger, clenching his fists, and closing his eyes. "I promise, Duo, I'll avenge you. I'll take the whole damn organization down, I swear!" He didn't speak the oath out loud, but he always kept his word.

Relena dressed in her black jeans, tennis shoes, and a long sleeved black t-shirt that she tucked in tightly. She tied her hair up in a ponytail and threw her backpack over her shoulders. After much internal debate, she had finally decided to try to escape. It was risky; she was locked in from the outside, the only way out being from her second story window.

She raised the blinds and then the window itself. After removing the screen, she leaned out and surveyed the situation. There wasn't much of the roof underneath her window; it was a straight drop to the ground below. "Damn!" She supposed Heero had done this on purpose. She looked to her right; there was another ledge, possibly close enough that she could reach out with her hand and grab onto it. If she was able to inch far enough over, she might be able to drop down to the roof from there. She decided to give it a shot.

Relena turned around, going feet first out of her window. Her hands and arms were strong from all the time she spent at the gym. She gradually lowered herself, until her hands were supporting all of her weight. She moved slowly over to the side of the ledge.

The rough brick edges were biting into her tender skin. She wished for gloves as she attempted to shift her weight to her right hand, in order to grab the other ledge. She reached her left hand out, and came up just short of her goal. "Damn!" Relena thought as she stretched her arm out once again. The tip of her middle finger was touching it, she was that close. She almost lost her grip with her right hand, and quickly worked to right herself. She was swinging precariously approximately 25 feet in the air, and decided this probably wasn't a good idea.

Before all her strength had left, she hoisted herself back into her room. "Time for plan B," she thought as she collapsed against the wall, trying to catch her breath from the recent effort. After a few minutes, she got to work tying her bed sheets together. She moved the bed as close to the window as she could, then tied one end of her 'rope' to the bedpost, and threw the rest out of the window. It went about half way down the side of the house. "Good enough," she thought, and climbed out her window a second time.

When she reached the end of the sheet, she took a deep breath and let go, dropping to the ground about 10 feet below. She landed, and made her way around to the front of the house. She gasped when she heard the front door slam, and hid behind some bushes. "I took too long!" Relena panicked.

Heero arrived back at the house, and went inside. Immediately, he knew something was wrong. It was too quiet. He ran up the stairs, gun drawn, and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He unlocked it, and tried to open it, but something was wedged against it. He backed up a couple of steps and then threw his shoulder into it. It gave way. He surveyed the room quickly, noting the bed sheets trailing out the window. He frowned in disapproval.

Heero made his way across the room, and noticed that the temperature hadn't dropped much, considering how cool it was outside. "She couldn't have gotten far," he mused. He went back down the stairs, and out the front door, slamming it in frustration. He walked around the side of the house, and heard a rustling noise coming from a cluster of bushes.

She heard the safety being disengaged from a gun, and knew it was over.

"Relena, come out, now." Heero's voice commanded.

There was no reply.

"You don't want me to come in there after you," he warned, cocking the gun.

_A ghost of a memory played in her mind…_

_Heero glared down at her. _

_She remembered being afraid of the total lack of emotion in those cold blue eyes._

_"You're playing with fire…"_

There was another rustling noise as she emerged from the bushes, her hands over her head in a gesture of surrender.

"Why don't you go ahead and do it now, you'll save us both a lot of trouble," she said in a low voice.

_She remembered his promise that day…_

_"I'll kill you."_

"Trowa will forgive you, just tell him I was trying to escape…."

"Get back in the house," he said, cutting her off.

She met his gaze defiantly. "I won't give up," she said, the determination showing in her eyes.

"Get in the house, Relena," he said quietly, motioning with the gun.

She dropped her arms, and turned in the direction he pointed. She started walking slowly towards the front of the house. As she turned the corner, she was out of his sight for a split second, and took off for the street.

His first instinct was to shoot, but thought better of it, and put his gun away in his holster. Instead, he took off after her. She ran as fast as she could, down the driveway. The gates were closed. Without hesitation, she leapt onto them, trying to pull herself up. He closed the gap, and grabbed her leg before she could swing over. She kicked at his hand, perched precariously on top of the gate – one leg on the side of freedom, one struggling to free itself from her captor.

Heero hung on, but couldn't figure out how to pull her down without hurting her. The next thing he knew, he was holding her sneaker, and she had dropped down on the other side of the gate. Their eyes met for a moment, and he glared at her. She took off again, and he moved over to the guard station, and pressed the button to open the gate. He ran after her.

Relena couldn't run as fast with only one shoe on, but she couldn't stop and throw the other one off. He was gaining on her quickly. The country road was gravelly and uneven, and she almost turned her ankle several times.

She suddenly realized that there was nowhere for her to run. They were surrounded by countryside, and the only highway was miles away! Relena was about to give up her flight when her bare foot stepped on a piece of glass lying amidst the pieces of rock and blacktop. She cried out as it sliced through her delicate flesh and lodged in the ball of her foot. Heero heard her cry, and saw her stumble. He reached her just in time to grab her and keep her from falling forward onto the ground.

Once he had righted her, she sat down on the side of the road, and pulled her foot up to look at the damage. The piece of glass had turned a dark red color, from blood oozing out of the wound. Heero bent down to take a look, and frowned.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

Relena shook her head, tears still falling from her eyes.

He leaned over and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her all the way back to the house. He had to shift her weight a bit to open the front door, as he brought her inside to the master bathroom. Heero set her on top of the counter, and tended to her wound.

He gently wiped away the blood with a damp, warm washcloth. Then he found some tweezers to remove the rather large piece of glass from her foot. She whimpered softly as it slid out, tearing more of her flesh, and causing fresh blood to escape. He pressed a cotton ball with peroxide to the gash to disinfect it, then wrapped gauze around her foot. Tape fastened it in place.

With that done, Heero picked her up from the counter and brought her into the bedroom. He sat her down on the bed. Relena looked up at him questioningly.

"I'll have to go put the sheets back on your bed before you can get in it," he said dryly.

Relena nodded and looked down at her hands.

"Why are you being nice to me? Aren't you angry I tried to escape?"

Heero crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. "Yes, and no."

She looked at him quizzically. "Why?"

"I understand why…but I asked you to stay here," he said in a low voice. He was staring at the ground, not looking at her.

_ Again, he was plagued with unwanted memories…_

_They were in that homeless shelter. God, he hated that place. After he had filled all the plates, he stood in the corner, quietly observing. He found his gaze time and time again drifting back to Relena. He didn't know quite what to make of her, really…_

_"But could she ease the pain in my own heart?"_

"And is that a reasonable request, for me to wait here for my execution?" She asked, her voice quavering with emotion.

"I asked you to," he repeated in a monotone.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, as in a favor? So, are we supposed to be friends?" She sounded angry.

Heero didn't respond.

"Am I supposed to feel something for the man that is going to kill me?"

His eyes met hers, taking in the furious determination flashing in their depths. He felt a pain searing his chest, and knew that he had lost the battle for his heart. But she was rejecting him. Hurt and anger rose within him, and he stormed out of the room. Relena watched him go in silence.


	6. “Do you…remember?”

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this. Chapter 6 

Relena watched him go, silently losing a battle with her own heart. She wanted to take the words back; an overwhelming desire to comfort him suddenly surfaced from a part of her heart she thought had been lost.

She put her right foot on the floor to support her full weight, and limped to the door of the bedroom. She didn't see him in the living room. She guessed he had gone upstairs to re-make her bed. Relena made her way to her room, leaning slightly on the banister and slowly dragging her left foot behind her.

Heero yanked the sheets back through the window, and slammed it shut. It felt good to abuse the inanimate object. He was angry with himself – he knew better. To her, he was no better than Trowa. He was stupid to think she could love him. He undid the knots in the bed sheets, tearing them in his fury.

"They'll be of no use like that," she said softly from the doorway.

He froze at the sound of her voice.

"I'm sorry…for what I said, for what I did today. After everything you've done, I…was wrong."

He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the feelings she stirred up again with just her presence. Determined not to let her see how much she affected him, he opened his eyes again and simply shrugged. His back was still turned towards the door where she stood. He lowered his arms holding the sheets, and bowed his head slightly. "You had every right to say those things, I don't blame you." He felt a hand on his shoulder – felt its warmth through the thin cotton of his starched white dress shirt - and shuddered involuntarily.

She felt the tremor pass through his body with surprise. "Heero?"

He closed his eyes to the feeling of longing that threatened to overtake his senses with her proximity.

"Do you…remember?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

_Oh, how he wanted to forget. But the memories hung in the air around them, thick and tangible…_

_"Give me all the money!" a masked figure yelled at a store clerk…_

"It was a long time ago, Relena," he said in his usual monotone.

"You do…." Tears suddenly came to her eyes again. "Why…why did you leave? You didn't even say goodbye."

"I had no choice. You always were too good for someone like me," he said bitterly.

_He couldn't stop the nightmarish scene playing in his mind…_

_"Odin!" a voice screamed…_

"No…I never felt that way. I loved you!" She cried.

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "Don't lie to me, Relena."

For a moment, there was silence between them.

"How's Odin?" she whispered.

_The tone of her voice brought back a different recollection. One of him and Duo standing outside the school, concern etched on his friend's face._

_"Is it Odin? He's using again, isn't he?" Duo asked._

"He's gone. Died of a drug overdose not long after I left."

"I'm sorry…." She paused. "Heero? Where did you go, when you left?" Her voice was so sad, so sincere in her pain.

He turned to look at her in surprise. _She knew - she had to have known! It was her father that had sent him away, and she didn't care. She never cared…_

She was crying, he noted. His eyes narrowed with suspicion, "Is this just a ploy for me to take pity on her, to spare her life?" He wondered.

"What? You knew! He told you…." Heero spat angrily and took a step towards her.

"No! No one told me anything!" She stopped crying and looked at him helplessly.

Realization crossed his face, and he stopped. "Don't lie to me, Relena…" he warned, not wanting to let that glimmer of hope into his heart again.

"I'm not. Who was supposed to tell me? Why did you leave me?" she demanded, her voice rising.

He turned away from the pleading look on her face. He couldn't think; his mind was spinning. "Your brother…" he began.

Relena sunk down to the floor of her room and reflected on the mess her life had become. A few days ago, she felt as though her world was crumbling – her heart breaking. But she had gradually come to realize that it was never love she felt for Trowa – it was infatuation. He was quiet, dark, and mysterious. But she had been burnt by that mystery; her heart singed by his secret.

Heero, on the other hand…. Those feelings that she had tried to bury all those years ago had surfaced with a vengeance in the short time they had found each other again. She wanted to kill her brother and father for sending him away….

_Relena remembered talking to her brother one afternoon - asking for a favor while confessing her feelings. Zeches didn't approve. _

"He's dangerous. His brother is a felon and a drug addict. You shouldn't be hanging around trash like him."

_ "Stop it! Don't say that about him! It hurts me to hear you say such things, Zeches. When did you become such a cynic that no one deserves a second chance, anymore?"_

_ "The day I became an older brother. Relena, I just don't want you to get hurt, or something worse…"_

_ "I'm not a child! And I can't ignore these feelings. I love him. I promise I'll be careful, but don't tell me I can't see him, please?"_

They had no right to meddle in her life like that. And she considered it a serious abuse of power on her brother's part, a police lieutenant threatening a helpless young man with a record. "Oh, how I want to give them a piece of my mind!" she fumed.

Heero was pacing in the study, trying to gain control of his emotions. He couldn't take it anymore – being so close and yet so far away. The revelation she hadn't known what her father had done supposedly on her behalf removed the last barrier to his heart. And it was driving him crazy – these feelings for her. He had to distance himself; she was making him weak. He couldn't concentrate on anything else.

_Unwillingly, his mind traveled back to that fateful day, the last time she had captured his heart…_

_"Why me?" he asked, rain running down his face in rivulets._

_ She smiled sadly up at him. "I don't know… All I can say is that I've loved you since the first time I saw you."_

In desperation, he opened the connection to come face to face with Trowa.

"Hello," Trowa greeted him with a mysterious smile. "I suppose I know why you are calling…."

"Hn."

"She makes you vulnerable, doesn't she? She's getting to you."

"She's your problem," Heero growled.

"I have no claim on her," Trowa said bitterly. "If she wants you, you must be a better man than I."

"Trowa…"

"No, Heero, you've been lonely too long, my friend. I'll spare her life for you, but only for you."

"Why? So you can own that much more of my soul?"

"Of course," Trowa's face was set in that unreadable expression. "Come back. Bring her with you. I like the changes she's made in you.

"Damn you, Barton. I hope you rot in hell."

"Give her my regards," Trowa said, un-phased by his friend's outburst. He calmly terminated the connection.

Trowa looked at the blank monitor. "Yes, I do like this change in you, Heero. It is you who has a weakness, now."

Heero banged on the desk, "Damn it! How did I let this happen?" He cursed himself and ran his fingers through his hair.

Heero stomped out of his room, anger contorting his features. Relena stopped what she was doing and took a step back as he advanced towards her.

"Get your things – we have to go." Heero barked.

"Where…"

"Now!"

Her eyes widened and she started to obey, but her stubborn streak suddenly reared its ugly head. "No."

He stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"You can't just order me around."

He stared at her. She was standing up to him, again. "I can order you around, and I'm telling you that we're leaving, now, tonight. Get your things."

"No. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on."

"You're going to do as I say," he said simply, a smirk forming on his face. He was secretly enjoying the challenge.

"Says who? You have no rights over me."

"Yes, I do."

"Since when?"

"5 minutes ago, when I vouched for your life," he said suddenly serious, turning away from those eyes that haunted his dreams.

"You're not going to kill me?" She asked timidly.

"Get your things, Relena."

"Why aren't you going to kill me, Heero?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Now, Relena."

"You saved me? You're going to protect me?"

"Relena…" he turned back to face her. Their eyes locked for a moment. "I will always protect you," he said, finally putting his feelings into words.

"Heero?" She let out the breath she had been holding. She took a step towards him, wanting to feel his arms around her.

"We have to go, Relena," he said quietly.

She stopped and lowered her head; then limped off towards the staircase.

"I can't begin to explain my life to you…" he said, turning away from her.

"I know…" she said gently, pausing a moment to look down at him.

Her words made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He looked up to where she stood on the stairs.

"I still love you," she said softly, her eyes betraying the depth of her emotion. She stood there for another moment, and then continued to her room.

"God help us, Relena. We're in over our heads…"


	7. So, you’re a cop?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

AN: I swear this will be the last assault on poor Trowa's character. I think.

Chapter 7

Duo opened his eyes. It was nighttime. His room was dark; the only light a soft glow from the waiting room window. He ached all over and couldn't stop a low moan from escaping his lips.

He saw something move in the corner of his pain-filled eyes. There was a figure standing in the shadows of his room.

"Who's there?" he called out in a hoarse whisper.

"You're awake," a voice replied.

"Hey man," he smiled weakly and struggled to sit up.

"What happened?"

"Ambush," he replied with a grimace. "They were waiting for us."

"Sorry I wasn't there."

"And what could you have done, except get yourself killed?"

_That was the way Heero was - had always been. So unselfish, even at sixteen; he always had it rough._

_ Heero shook his head. "I can't leave him alone, Duo. He'll die."_

_ "He's killing you."_

"I should have been there."

"Did you…did you find her? The department gave up…"

"Yeah," he turned towards the window to the waiting room where a hesitant blond girl was observing. She waved when she saw them look at her.

"She's still gorgeous. Barton's a lucky guy, huh?"

His thoughts shifted to when they met in high school. She was beautiful then, too.

_Duo spoke up, "Hello! Haven't seen you around before."_

_Relena smiled, "I just transferred in." she said, her eyes not leaving Heero's._

"Hn. He was going to kill her for revenge."

Duo looked at him in surprise. There was just a trace of…something in Heero's voice. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Oh so you finally got a date, huh?" he laughed feebly, then broke off in a coughing fit.

"You need your rest."

"Does she know?"

"Haven't told her. You're not supposed to know," he growled.

"Then how'd you get her away from Barton?"

Heero shrugged. His face was unreadable in the poor light. "I'm on my way there, now."

"Oh," Duo looked confused.

"Do you think there's a leak?" Heero asked suddenly.

"In the department?"

"How else could Barton have known what you guys were up to?"

"Hadn't thought about it," he grimaced again. "Haven't been awake that long…"

"Hn…."

"I can't believe anyone…." His voice trailed off.

"Doesn't matter what you believe, what other logical explanation is there?"

"None. I guess people just aren't always what you want them to be, huh?" Duo said; his eyes were filled with tears.

"Get some rest," Heero said firmly – it was a command. He turned to go.

"Heero," Duo called out. "Don't go getting yourself killed over me. You've got to protect her. I mean there aren't any other women that will put up with your shit!"

Heero nodded and walked out the door.

"Detective Duo Maxwell?" Relena read off the chart on the door. "So, you're a cop?"

Heero snorted. "No."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"  
"Drop it, Relena. You'll only put yourself in more danger."

Their 'home coming' was strange, at best. Trowa greeted them as they entered the house. Heero wasn't surprised when Relena didn't bend under Trowa's angry look. Instead, she raised her head and met his gaze in a gesture of defiance. Incensed, Trowa's first reaction was to strike her, but a steely glare from Heero stopped him from raising his hand.

"You brought her."

"Yes, I didn't know if we had any unfinished business before I take her…home."

At the word, Relena looked up in alarm, but Heero's face was impassive. She wanted to speak, but could tell it was not her place.

The two men regarded each other a moment before Trowa finally broke the silence.

"By all means, our business can wait. Take her home, Heero. We'll talk first thing in the morning."

Heero nodded and led Relena out the door.

They rode in silence for a while. Relena was relieved when they started out in the wrong direction to be going to the Governor's mansion. She could only assume they were going to Heero's home. The thought was at once exciting and unsettling.

The Mercedes pulled into the drive of a small, traditional-looking red brick house. He unlocked the door and let her walk in ahead of him. It was sparsely furnished, and very orderly.

She smiled at him, "Home?" she whispered.

Heero nodded.

She went on a quick tour, noting that there were three bedrooms – his, one used for a study, and the third had been turned into a weight room. Her thoughts suddenly strayed to his strong arms, and she blushed.

He came up behind her. "You can have my room; I'll take the couch."

Relena made a face. "It didn't look very comfy," she said, thinking of the hard leather bench seat she had sat on briefly in the study. She looked up at him and paled when she realized how that must have sounded.

Heero looked at her a moment, then shrugged. "I'll manage," he said and walked back down the hall.

Relena sighed and mocked banging her head on the wall as she scolded herself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid…"

She could smell his familiar scent in the pillows and sheets. It surrounded her body, distracting her from sleep. She could only think of him. "What are you hiding?" She wondered. Relena had given up searching for clues in his closet and dresser drawers. She sighed and closed her eyes, but sleep still wouldn't come.

Too restless to lie there any longer, Relena got up and opened the door to the hall. The light was on in the bedroom next to hers, the one used as an office. She peered around the corner to see him asleep with his head cradled on his arms resting on top of the desk. She walked over to him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and awoke with a start. Beautiful sapphire eyes smiled down at him. "Relena…" he said, trying to clear the sleep from his exhausted brain.

She helped him to his feet, and into the bed. He was too tired to fight. She took off his shoes and shirt, then blushed slightly as he pulled off his slacks.

Still half-asleep, he lay back in the bed, clad only in his boxers and socks. She pulled the comforter up over him, thinking what a shame it was to hide such a perfect body.

After tucking him in - his eyes still closed, his face so peaceful in his slumber – she bent her head to kiss his forehead. He didn't stir. Getting braver, she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes and pressed her lips softly to his own.

"Goodnight," she whispered, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand. With a sigh, she started to pull her hand away, when his arm shot up and grabbed her wrist.

Her eyes grew wide as his opened and stared at her with intensity that made her feel as if he was looking right through her. One corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as he pressed his lips to her palm. The gesture sent a shiver down her spine.

"Relena," his gaze was searching. She smiled and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He pushed the covers off his bare chest and sat up to face her. His eyes took in the thin slip of a nightgown that left just enough to the imagination…. Letting go of her wrist, he leaned in and kissed her hesitantly – the merest brushing of lips.

He pulled away, and looked at her. "This isn't the couch," he said sternly.

She blushed a deep crimson, and looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't think there was any harm…"

"It's too much for any man to handle, Relena. You shouldn't tempt me if you don't mean it," he growled.

"Heero, I already told you I love you. I have always loved you."

His scowl deepened.

"You don't believe me?"

"No. How can you love someone like me?"

The words brought the memory of his anguished eyes, confessing his sins, laying his heart bare on the floor, waiting for her to condemn him, to grant him permission to die… 

"I'm a killer!"

He had never expected her forgiveness.

Tears came to her eyes. "I have always loved you," she repeated numbly.

His heart wrenched in his chest. All these years, he had never forgotten, never loved anyone else but her. And it was just too much. He pulled her willing form into his arms, and kissed away the tears. As their kisses became passionate, he abandoned all logical thought and acted on his emotions.

He awoke the next morning and smiled at the way her body was tangled with his own. She was so beautiful – fulfilling all the promises of her youth. He felt desire awaken within him yet again. Trying to push the feeling away, he disentangled himself from her, but woke her in the process. She smiled. His heart beat faster with that look, and he leaned in to kiss her.

A half hour later, his desire satiated once again, he kissed her gently and rolled out of bed to take a quick shower. He felt better than he had in years.


	8. Who is Heero really?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 8

"We have a mole," Trowa said as Heero as he walked into the office.

"Hn…pesky little things…" Heero replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Trowa stopped and gave Heero a strange look. "You are a better man than I," he said with some surprise.

Heero had been astonished last night, in the heat of their passion, to find out that he was Relena's first. "That must be why Trowa kept Sophie and Isabelle around…." He mused. "Hn…" he said aloud.

"Did your informant give a name?" Heero asked, changing topics.

"I won't sign someone's death warrant that easily… Besides, they gave us good information on the drug bust, why would they lie now?"

Heero shrugged, and leaned back against the wall. "Did they say who the mole was?"

"No, it troubled me. You're the only one I can trust." Trowa held his gaze.

"What if it's me?"

"Yes, I see…" Trowa bowed his head, hiding his eyes and whatever emotions he was feeling.

"Give me the name of the informant," Heero pressed.

"In due time. There's still more I need to know."

"I can't believe you entered into this 'war' with the governor. You can't just go around killing cops, and expect to get away with it. They won't stop until they get you, Trowa."

Trowa looked at him vacantly, "That's why I'll take out the head."

It was Heero's turn to look surprised. He stood up from his relaxed pose against the wall. "The governor?"

Trowa smirked.

"Is that what you called me in for?"

"No, I already gave the assignment to someone else."

"What?" Heero's face flushed in anger. "You didn't trust me for this!"

"No, I trusted you. I just didn't want to cause you trouble, my friend," he said with a knowing look. "Your emotions could have gotten the better of you on this one."

"Damn you, Trowa," he scowled at him.

Trowa laughed. "You know, at first, I wanted to kill you over her. It hurt me deeply when she left. But the two of you," he paused to look at Heero, "make things so much more…interesting."

"Hn…" Heero said. He crossed his arms and looked away.

"We were even, you and I. You saved my life, just like I had spared yours. You were no longer indebted to me, and could have become a threat." He was studying Heero's face as he spoke. "You could have tried to go back to your mission, assuming you had kept your superiors at the FBI in the dark as to your real activities." Trowa's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"But now, you can't – you won't risk her life, whereas you never cared about your own."

Heero just glared at him in silence.

Relena stretched languidly before getting out of bed. She smiled as she thought about her lover. He had asked her to trust him, and she did. It didn't matter to her anymore what secrets he was hiding. She just wanted to be by his side.

She showered and dressed, then switched on the TV. Relena sighed as she thought of how little had changed from her being a prisoner to being… "What am I? Am I truly a mobster's harlot, now?" she wondered, but quickly dismissed the thought.

The door suddenly flew open. She looked up and smiled at Heero. But her smile quickly faded when she saw the look in his eyes.

"You have to leave," he said, glaring at her.

"What?"

He hardened his heart to the look on her face. "I'm taking you back to your father's house. Get your stuff."

"I can't go back there," she said, shaking her head.

"You can't stay here."

"Why? You don't want me, anymore?" tears sprang to her eyes, weakening his resolve.

The words he had practiced formed on his lips, but he couldn't say them – they would destroy her. "Relena, you're in danger. I can't protect you if you're here with me." He said, pulling her close and stroking her hair.

"I can't go back there. I want to stay with you," she said softly, resting her head on his strong chest.

"Relena…" he whispered, and buried his face in her hair.

"Tell me…let me help you. You don't have to do this alone."

He drew back enough to look in her eyes. He sighed and switched off the TV. He was failing miserably in his plan to push her away. All he wanted to do was embrace her tighter.

"What I am about to tell you can never leave this room," he began solemnly.

Her eyes widened, but she nodded her head in agreement.

_She had made that pledge to him before._

"Heero," she said, gaining courage, "I won't say anything. I promise. I just couldn't…" her voice trailed off at the cold expression on his face.

"Three years ago, I was sent on an undercover assignment by my superiors in the FBI to infiltrate the Barton Foundation and gather information on their activities. It was rumored they had some very powerful political figures on their payroll. I had just graduated from FBI training…"

He thought back to graduation day.

_Duo Maxwell was grinning like an idiot, waving at him. _

_ "So, top of the class, huh? You nerd."_

_ "Hn."_

"Don't you know, girls don't go for brains…" 

_ "That's obvious. Look at Hilde," Heero said flatly._

_ Duo wasn't phased by his friend's dry barb. He just grinned wider, "I'm proud of ya, buddy."_

_ "Thanks Duo."_

_ "Sorry your brother couldn't be here, man…."_

_ "Hn…" _

"So what's your first assignment? There's all kinds of rumors going around… They say Treize's department is vying for you. The Organized Crime Unit…." Duo continued babbling.

_ "I haven't been told anything for certain, yet. Whatever it is will be confidential," Heero said in a warning tone._

_ "Yeah, yeah, I know…"_

Treize did indeed have an assignment for him. His first mission and they gave him no room for error. He was just a kid then it seemed, even though he was 22. The world looked different then, brighter, somehow…. Working for Trowa, killing for Trowa, had made him old before his time.

They had become fast friends. He remembered meeting the silent young man with the piercing green eyes, and thinking he couldn't possibly be the son of a Mafia don. But the FBI had really done their homework on the two young men. They had both grown up on the streets after having suffered abuse at home, and had to claw their way out of the sewers on their own. It was a bizarre twist of fate that they ended up on different sides of the law.

Trowa's father, Quinze Barton, had only come to power within the organization a few years before. Trowa was really his adopted son, having won his respect and love over time as his most trusted associate.

Those first few months, Heero rose in rank until he was second only to Trowa. Others became jealous of their friendship, and rumors he was a plant flew like crazy. Trowa ignored them all. But he was no dummy…

"I found myself almost forgetting we weren't really friends. And I struggled to keep my equilibrium on what was right and wrong," he paused for a moment.

Relena encouraged him to continue.

He remembered the night he was found out… 

_Trowa sat at his desk, faint moonlight glowing from the window behind him. Heero walked soundlessly into the room._

_ "You know, we're the same," Trowa said in his quiet voice, "you and I."_

_ There was silence in the room as Heero tried to read that always-impassive expression. He broke out into a cold sweat. He knew what Trowa had called him there to discuss._

_ "Yes."_

_ "Then work for me. Be my brother."_

_ "I already…"_

_ "Don't lie to me. If Quinze knew, he'd have me kill you. But I've seen the way you struggle. You know we're the same."_

_ Heero remained silent for a while._

_ "We came from nothing, doing what we had to do to survive. What does your FBI know of that?"_

_ "Trowa…"_

"Do they know of your past? Do they accept you for who and what you are? Think of all you can have here: money, women, cars, drugs, whatever you want. I can give it to you."

_ "I don't need those things," Heero growled. _

_ There was silence between them for a moment._

_"I already pledged my loyalty to you, when I said we were the same." Heero started to turn away._

_ "Then we won't speak of it again, my brother," Trowa's one visible eye gleamed in the darkness as it met cold prussian blue._

_ Heero nodded and left_.

Heero looked at Relena. She stood up, turning away from him.

"So you really are…"

"What I pretend to be. Yes, I am," his voice was devoid of emotion.

She turned back towards him. He didn't meet her gaze; he knew what would be there.

"You need to go," he said flatly.

"I told you I want to stay here, with you," her voice was soft but held determination.

Their eyes met for a moment, and he realized she still loved him. "Relena?"

"I won't leave."

"How…how can you want to stay with me, after what I told you – after all that I've done?" Heero was confused. He had been so sure that she would hate him; that the only reason she had loved him was because she thought she saw something in him that was no longer there.

"We're the same…. Don't you remember? It was so long ago…."

"Relena, how could I forget?" he asked quietly.

_Flashes of a classroom, the overhead lights were suddenly switched on, startling him._

_"Heero?" she called out in a whisper. _

_ "Relena…" _

_ "Are you all right? What were you doing here in the dark?"_

_ "I belong in the dark…"_

She held him tightly. "It's all in the past now," she said soothingly. "We both have so many regrets….Tell me, where do we go from here? Why are we in such danger, Heero?"

"I have to complete my mission. I have to take Barton down."

To his surprise, she smiled.

AN: To all those who have been seriously confused – don't worry. Chapters 9-11 deal with Heero and Relena's past. How did they meet? What happened? Why did he leave? JUST WHAT IS GOING ON, ROSE? I think you need to explain yourself! Sorry, talking to myself again And for the one who asked a few chapters back – Yes, this is AU, set completely apart from the series and EW. So, they have a whole different past. Which will be dealt with soon. Thanks for reading – and reviewing. Love, Rose


	9. Heero and Relena’s past - Part 1

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

AN: This is the first in a series of 3 chapters regarding Heero and Relena's past. This will hopefully answer many questions, and resolve much confusion.

Chapter 12 will pick up where chapter 8 left off. Just so everyone knows the game plan…. Thanks for your patience.

Chapter 9

10 Years ago….

"Give me all the money!" a harsh voice yelled at the old man working behind the convenience store counter. The figure emphasized his point with the short nosed .38 caliber revolver in his right hand.

The clerk fumbled with the cash register, fright evident in his face and movements. His fingers shook as he pulled the money out of the drawer and placed it in the sack. Suddenly, the bag fell from his trembling hands.

"Pick it up!" the same boy shouted. He was wearing a mask, so the clerk couldn't tell if he was angry, or just as frightened as he was.

The man bent down to pick up the bag, his mind was spinning. He was so scared, he couldn't think straight. He saw light glinting off something metallic and remembered the gun the owner kept under the counter. He stood up, and aimed the shotgun at the boy giving the orders, trying to look like he knew what he was doing.

"Odin!" another boy screamed and shot the store clerk in the chest before the man could fire. A metallic clang sounded as the gun clattered to the ground mere seconds before the body that once held it.

"Is he dead?" the shooter asked, pulling off his mask. He had been keeping a lookout at the door, while the one he called Odin gave the orders to the clerk.

Odin walked around the counter and picked up the bag. He felt for a pulse, there was none. "Yes," he replied grimly. He looked up at the security camera, and went in search of the recording.

A young girl with golden blonde hair held her breath behind a candy bar display as she prayed for the two men to leave. She heard a shot, and looked up, catching a glimpse of the unmasked thief in the mirror behind the store counter. He was young, about 16, with chocolate brown hair that fell in his face, and cobalt blue eyes. She sucked in a breath, and huddled closer to the wall.

After what seemed like years, she finally heard the door open, and looked to see their two retreating forms. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Relena waited several minutes before venturing out of her hiding place. She cautiously made her way to the door, fearful that they would come back. When she saw the dark red blood oozing from behind the counter, Relena cried out in terror, and ran. She didn't want to see what was there. When she got to her car, she made an anonymous call to the police, and left.

The two boys rode in silence back to the rundown apartment they shared. The job had gone horribly wrong with the death of that clerk.

Back at home, Heero lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. Odin stopped at his door, "You saved my life, man. Thanks."

There was no response. Odin turned and went to his own room.

Odin woke Heero early the next morning with four words, "We have a problem."

"What?" Heero asked sleepily.

"Come see."

Heero pushed the covers off the bed and trudged to the other boy's room. Odin pressed the play button on the video recorder. A pretty girl with blond hair appeared on the small screen in black and white. The recording was soundless, but sound wasn't necessary. She paid the clerk, then asked him something before turning and walking to the back of the store. She disappeared off screen. The time stamp in the corner counted off approximately a minute and thirty seconds before the two masked men entered. Odin paused the tape. "She was still in the building."

"Who cares? She was in the bathroom," Heero replied irritably.

"No, watch this," he said and pressed play once more.

The scene continued like an out-of-body experience. Suddenly, Odin paused it again, and pointed to the screen.

"Look here," he said, indicating the mirror above and behind the counter.

"It's a blob," Heero remarked dryly.

"It's her. She saw. She probably even saw you without your mask on – what were you thinking!"

"I wasn't. I had just killed a man!" Heero turned away from the recording and walked towards the door.

"Yes, you did. And unless you want to spend the rest of your life in a jail cell, we have to find her and make sure she doesn't talk!"

Heero stopped in the doorway. "I'm not killing anybody else."

"We're not gonna kill her, just scare her a little. Trust me."

Heero turned back towards his brother. 'Trust me' was his favorite saying. Anytime he said those words, the hair stood up on the back of Heero's neck and his stomach turned. "You don't know who or where she is. She could be in another state by now. Forget it. What's done is done." Heero growled, his expression cold. He turned and left the room.


	10. Heero and Relena’s past - Part 2

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

AN: This is the second in a series of 3 chapters regarding Heero and Relena's past. This will hopefully answer many questions, and resolve much confusion.

Chapter 12 will pick up where chapter 8 left off. Just so everyone knows the game plan…. Thanks for your patience.

PS: Midnight Tenshi – Heero's "real" name, in his Episode Zero (it's my opinion that it's technically not his real name – in the sense that you'd find it on a birth certificate….) is Odin Lowe, Jr. Odin Lowe is the assassin that trained or raised him before Dr. J. In this fic, he's Heero's half-brother.

Chapter 10

10 years ago (continued)

Three weeks later, Heero sat staring silently at the desk in front of him. "Sergeant Po", the engraved desk plate read. A woman in her twenties with long brown hair wearing a police uniform smiled kindly at him as she sat down. "Well, Mr. Yuy, it says here you have to complete 200 hours of community service, and serve 6 months probation. That means I'm your new best friend."

Heero scowled at that remark.

"So, what's your favorite charity?"

"Huh?"

"Do you have a preference for how you want to serve your community?"

"I don't know, feed the homeless?" Heero said sarcastically.

"Done."

"What?"

"Tomorrow, I'll pick you up and take you over to the Homeless shelter on 6th Street. A group meets there every Saturday to serve food to those less fortunate."

He glared at her. "I can get a ride there myself."

"Yes, but that's how you got here in the first place," she laughed. "I'll pick you up at 8."

"AM? As in the morning?" Heero's voice escalated.

"Yes, in the morning. This is not supposed to be fun, remember – this is punishment."

"Fine," Heero growled. "May I go now, Sergeant?"

"Call me Sally. Yes, you may go. Do you need a lift home? I'm leaving now, and can give you a ride."

"No, I'll walk," Heero said gruffly and left.

At the homeless shelter, Sally escorted him in and introduced him to the director. He noticed that all the other volunteers were older women, and groaned inwardly. "Why did I have to steal that car?" he scolded himself.

He was half-listening to the boring explanation of what he was supposed to be doing, thinking again how lame it all was, when she walked in. Blonde hair wafting in and around her flushed face before the door blocked out the cruel winter wind. His eyes widened in surprise, there was no mistaking it – she was the girl on the tape. He recovered quickly, masking his expression, but continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye.

Relena arrived slightly later than usual at the homeless shelter she volunteered at every Saturday. With her adoptive father being a politician, it was an unspoken requirement that she find some way to 'give back' to the community. She didn't mind, though, it felt good to help people in need.

She walked into the kitchen, and almost fainted. There he was, that boy she saw every night in her dreams. It was always the same, his crystal blue eyes staring right through her as he aimed his gun and fired. There was so much pain in those eyes. She felt a strange urge to comfort him. She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. "What is he doing here?" she asked herself, afraid of what the answer might be.

She had not spoken a word about what had happened that night. She never would, either. She wanted to forget. But a small voice nagged at the back of her mind, "You just don't want to turn him in…."

"Relena," the director greeted her. She was an elegant lady in her fifties, her brown hair pulled back smartly in a French twist. She looked too good for a place like this. "Come, meet our new volunteer."  
Relena smiled hesitantly and crossed the room. He was leaning back against the wall to the kitchen, his arms crossed in a posture of resentment. He just stood there scowling at her from under his long bangs. He wore dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket, and certainly looked anything but friendly.

"Relena Darlian, this is Heero Yuy."

Relena held out her hand, "Pleased to meet you," she said softly.

He shook her hand, and their eyes met. "Those eyes again," she thought and couldn't help but shudder. She looked away.

"It's a pleasure. Are you sure we haven't met before?" he asked with a deadly smirk.

Her eyes widened but replied calmly, "I don't believe we have. I'm certain I would have remembered." She let go of his hand.

Momentarily satisfied by her answer, he nodded, "I guess you just look familiar."

There wasn't enough ventilation in the kitchen, so he was sweating profusely in the heat that was generated by the stove and the ovens. He cursed himself again for stealing that car, and went back to stirring the soup. He and a few others were in charge of preparing the food, while Relena and the rest served it to their 'guests'.

When all the plates had been filled, he grabbed a glass of water, and took up a position in the corner of the room, watching. He found his gaze time and time again drifting back to 'that girl.' He didn't know quite what to make of her, really. He observed that some of these people, despair and sadness long etched on their faces, suddenly smiled under her attentions. An ember of hope ignited in their eyes as she interacted with them. He noticed the other volunteers didn't get too close to the 'unwashed' masses, but Relena sat at their tables, and even hugged them as they left the shelter. "But could she ease the pain in my own heart?" He quickly quashed the thought. "She's dangerous," he told himself again, and went back to work.

He didn't tell Odin about her that night. He wasn't sure why. For some reason, he felt like he could trust her, but dismissed the thought as illogical. "You can't believe some feeling, your life's on the line!" But that didn't stop her from invading his dreams.

School started back after the winter holidays that Wednesday, and being on probation meant not skipping class. Sally picked him up. Heero was beginning to hate her.

She dropped him off with a cheerful, "Have a good day!"

He glared at her from underneath his bangs, then walked off towards the main building. A few moments later, he felt a hand on his shoulder and stopped.

"Hey buddy!" a familiar voice greeted him.

Heero turned around and glared at Duo. The happy-go-lucky boy with long brown hair tied neatly back in its usual braid quickly took his hand off Heero's prized black leather jacket.

"I know I know. Don't touch the leather. Sorry, man I forgot." He rolled his violet eyes behind his friend's back.

That jacket was the only thing Heero had that was truly his. He had earned enough money one summer mowing lawns with Duo to buy it. Duo felt truly sorry for his friend. He practically had to sleep with it on for fear Odin would take it from him.

"What do you want, Duo?" He growled.

"Geez, is that how you greet all your friends?" he asked as he fell into step with Heero.

There was no response.

"What do you say we blow this Popsicle stand and grab some breakfast? I'm starving!"

"Can't."

"Why not? You've never needed to go to class to pass…"

"I'm on probation."

"Ass! Good motivation for going to class, though. What'd they get you on?"

"Joyriding."

"Joyriding isn't a crime!"

Heero smirked, "It is when it's not your car."

Duo laughed. They kept walking until they arrived at the locker the two boys shared. Duo turned the combination lock and opened it. He peered in at the shelf of textbooks.

"What's your first class?" he asked.

"Calculus," Heero replied flatly.

"Ugh, you're killing me! I'm still suffering through Algebra. You know a guy as smart as you…you should go to college. Seriously."

"Hn…"

Duo pulled the textbook for his first class, and then handed Heero his calculus book. Suddenly, musical laughter floated down the hallway. Duo turned, and saw a beautiful blond girl with clear blue eyes walking towards them. She was engaged in conversation with someone and hadn't seen him stop and stare. Not dropping his gaze, Duo closed the locker door and elbowed his friend in the stomach. "Get a load of her!"

Heero followed his gaze, and inwardly cringed. "Relena," he said, just barely above a whisper.

She looked up from her friend and met Duo's eyes briefly. She had long coal black lashes that enhanced the blue of her sapphire orbs. Duo was instantly smitten. Her gaze continued to travel past Duo to something just behind him. Heero. He looked at her and their eyes locked. She appeared surprised, but only momentarily. She smiled, turned and said something to her friend, then made her way towards him. Heero couldn't believe it.

"Hello, again," she said softly.

He nodded at her.

Duo spoke up, "Hi! Haven't seen you around before."

Relena smiled slightly. No he hadn't seen her before. "I just transferred in."

Her father was the ambassador to the UK, so she was constantly being shuffled from school to school at home and abroad. A staunch proponent of a private school education, this recent transfer to a local public school was due to the fact that her father didn't approve of her last "boyfriend". Relena had assured her father that Quatre had just been a friend, but to no avail. He was the son of one of Ambassador Darlian's political rivals, and therefore off limits. The other private school in town wouldn't accept a mid-year transfer, so here she was, talking to a strange boy with long brown hair and smiling violet eyes, and being glared at by a brooding juvenile delinquent.

"What's your name?" the strange boy asked her.

"Relena Darlian," she said and held out her hand.

Duo flirtatiously bowed and kissed it. "Very pleased to meet you. I'm Duo Maxwell."

Grinning, Relena mock-curtsied in return and quipped, "You're too kind, good sir."

The warning bell rang, interrupting their good time. Duo groaned. "Gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Maybe," she said to his retreating back. Then she turned and ran right back into Heero.

"Oh!" she said in surprise.

He glared down at her.

"I'm sorry."

He grabbed her elbow and pulled her along the hallway and out the door. Once outside, he glowered at her and said, "You're playing with fire, here, little girl."

Her eyes widened at the words. "I wouldn't, I won't…."she stuttered.

His gaze was intense. Relena felt his eyes burning into her, she couldn't hold it; she had to look away.

"Heero," she said, gaining courage, "I won't say anything. I promise. I just couldn't…" her voice trailed off as she took in the cold expression on his face. "I guess you wouldn't understand."

"What I understand is that I'm not going to prison," he growled at her.

She nodded.

"I'll kill you," he said and walked away.


	11. Heero and Relena’s past - Part 3

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

AN: This is the third in a series of three chapters regarding Heero and Relena's past. This will hopefully answer many questions, and resolve much confusion.

Chapter 12 will pick up where chapter 8 left off. Just so everyone knows the game plan…. Thanks for your patience.

Chapter 11 

10 years ago (Continued)

Relena entered the classroom a few minutes after the last bell. "Calculus, bleh! What a way to start the day," she thought wryly. The teacher glared at her, and she flushed with embarrassment. She quickly took the only seat left in the room. Right next to… She felt a sudden urge to run away.

Heero smirked as she quickly exited the room as soon as class was over. "Good, she's afraid of me." He was surprised that his heart somehow felt heavier.

Heero lay on his bed, too troubled to sleep. The nightmares were getting worse instead of better. He killed her every night, those light blue eyes asking the question, "Why?" as her blood poured out of her body, darkening the skin on his hands and the ground around his feet. And then he would wake up in a cold sweat with his heart pounding in his ears. He made his way to the bathroom and washed his hands again.

Odin was awake, shooting up…again. It was his drug habit that kept the two desperately short of funds every month when the rent came due. He hated having to drag Heero into his life of crime – he never wanted to make him into something he despised. And he could tell from the haunted look in his eyes and the light under the door during the dark hours of morning that Heero was cracking up, too. Odin escaped the only way he knew how. The heroin would take effect in a second…

Heero walked out into the living room, and glared down at Odin. That was the stuff that destroyed their mother. "He's such a coward," he thought in disgust. The pain was eating him alive inside, but there was no escape for Heero. He didn't deserve it. He had taken a life, and his shattered soul was all that was left. He pulled on his jacket and went out into the night.

Relena arrived unusually early to her Calculus class. The classroom lights hadn't even been turned on. She flipped the switch and almost screamed when she saw him sitting there, staring straight ahead at nothing. "Heero?" she called out in a whisper.

"Relena…."

"Are you all right? What were you doing here in the dark?"

"I belong in the dark."

She cocked her head to one side, not sure of what to make of him. He wouldn't look at her.

A sad smile crossed her face. "Heero, I'm not afraid of you."

He glanced up sharply and glared at her. His tortured eyes had dark circles under them. He mumbled something unintelligible.

She moved down the aisle to sit next to him. "I didn't hear you," she said and placed a hand on his arm.

"You should be!" he shouted at her, wrenching his arm out of her grip. "Don't you know what I am?"

"No," she said softly. "Tell me…"

"I'm a killer! I murdered that man…." He got up, wanting to run away from her, her forgiveness, her light. He didn't deserve it; he didn't deserve to live. He started to leave.

"Don't go," she murmured.

He turned at the door and their eyes met. "I kill you in my dreams."

She nodded. "Mine, too."

He walked out the door.

Duo was standing at his locker, talking to a pretty brunette, when he saw Heero.

"He looks like hell," Duo thought sadly.

"Excuse me Hilde, I'm sorry, but I have to go," he said hastily, not wanting to lose his friend in the crowd.

"Okay, well, you have my number. Call me," she said with a smile.

He turned and grinned at her. "Tonight, I promise," he said as he disappeared down the hallway.

"Heero! Wait up, buddy!"

He caught up to him outside. It was raining, and the two were getting soaked. "Talk to me," Duo said in a concerned voice.

He was greeted by silence.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Heero finally replied, turning away from him.

"Then where are you going? You can't skip…."

"What does it matter? Nothing matters anymore…" his voice trailed off as he looked up at the sky.

"Are you on something?"

Heero laughed. It was a hollow, cynical laugh that made Duo shiver.

"No, I'm not on anything."

"Is it Odin? He's using again, isn't he?"

Silence again. Then finally, "Does he ever stop?"

"Heero, don't – you can't live like that. You can stay with me. Don't just throw your life away, man. Odin wouldn't want you to. He always wanted you to have better than what he had."

Heero shook his head. "I can't leave him alone, Duo. He'll die."

"He's killing you."

"No, I'm already dead," he said with a fierce look in his eye.

Duo didn't know what to say. Heero started to turn away from him again, when suddenly, he stopped and just stared at something beyond his vision. Duo looked over his shoulder and saw Relena standing there, just outside the door. The rain was coming down in torrents, and a cold wind blew, stirring a few strands of her now wet hair, but she stood still. Her eyes saw only Heero.

Heero took a step towards her, "Relena," he choked out.

She left the safety of the doorway, and moved towards him. "Heero."

They stood there in the rain, within arms reach, but not touching. Neither one said a word, afraid of breaking the deafening silence surrounding them. She reached out, and tentatively brushed from his eyes a stray strand of hair darkened almost black with rain. He wasn't sure if the tremor coursing through his body was caused by her touch or the bitterly cold winter weather.

He grabbed her wrist almost violently, startling her, and pulled her to him. He bent his head towards hers… "Can you save me?" he asked, looking deep into her eyes.

"No, I can love you, but I can't save you," she said softly caressing his cheek. "Only you can do that." He closed his eyes as he let her words sweep over him.

His eyes opened again, revealing the anguish inside. "I don't…know…how," he breathed and claimed her lips in a desperate kiss. Relena was shocked, but returned the kiss as his arms went around her back and crushed her body to his. Her arms moved up to the back of his neck and tangled in his wet hair.

It felt like he was drowning, and fighting for air. Relena never imagined anything like it – all at once so violent in his devastating need for her.

The kiss finally ended, but they didn't break apart. With their foreheads still touching, he asked her in a whisper, "Why me?"

She smiled sadly up at him. "I don't know why. All I can say is that I've loved you since the first time I saw you."

He held her tighter, afraid to let go.


	12. A girl like her will never love someone ...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 12

Trowa looked up from his paper when Heero entered the room.

"I want you to let me do it."

Trowa's eyes filled with suspicion. "You can't stop this."

"I don't want to. I want revenge."

Heero's eyes glazed over in anger as he remembered the last time he had met with Relena's adopted father.

_"You're just another one of her charity cases, you know. She'll get tired of you eventually."_

Trowa's expression changed to one of interest. "Go on."

"We should have ended up the same, Trowa. Did you ever wonder what the difference in our pasts was – that put us on opposing sides?"

"We're not on opposing sides, my friend."

"Not now. But for a moment – we could have been."

"Yes, I have wondered, but you never spoke of it."

"I'll tell you now – Governor Darlian. Only he was Ambassador Darlian back then."

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "You want revenge for this?"

"Through a strange twist of fate, I met his daughter when we were 16."

"Ah, that explains a lot." His face went back to its usual expressionless mask.

"I loved her then. I guess I never stopped. But he wouldn't allow her to associate with…" several adjectives came to mind, but he settled with "…me."

_"One of you will leave. I can send her away, but I have no guarantee that you will stay away from her."_

"Her real brother, Zeches Marquise, was a lieutenant on the police force then. They were going to send my brother, Odin, back to prison. God knows they could have sent him back anytime. So, I took what they offered me – an opportunity to go to college."

_"Your school records indicate that you are an intelligent young man. You could get an education and make something of yourself."_

Trowa nodded.

"I guess I shouldn't have believed him when he said she didn't care. The letters I wrote, never got to her. She never knew, she thought I left her."

Trowa smiled faintly. "If she didn't love you, there wouldn't have been the need to get rid of you. But you were young, who's ever really certain of anything at that age?"

"He took her from me, Trowa. All those years…." Anger flashed in his eyes, and his fists clenched at his sides.

"But she's here, now. What he took, I've given back to you." He studied Heero's face intently.

"Yes, but I still hate him. If he is going to die anyway, I want the opportunity…."

_He could still hear those words taunting him._

_"A girl like her will never love someone like you."_

"Heero?" Relena asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Hn."

"Where have you been?"

"Go back to sleep," he said gruffly as he locked the 15 cartridge chamber into his Tactical Smith and Wesson 9mm with a resounding click.

She sat up and looked at him worriedly. He walked over and kissed her forehead. "Everything's okay. I'll be back in a little while."

She smiled, and sunk back down in the bed. He let his gaze linger for a moment before he left the room.

Governor Darlian sat in the office of his country manor. It was dark, just like his life. Relena was gone, and he was lonely. She was the only family he had since his wife had died all those years ago.

"I came to give you this," a voice said in the darkness.

He looked up to see a silhouette in the doorway. "How did you get in here?" he demanded, rising from his desk.

Moonlight reflected on something metallic. He drew in a shaky breath as he realized the shadow was holding a gun.

"I let myself in," Heero said, raising the pistol. A gunshot shattered the silence.

Relena woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. She quickly shoved sleep and the covers aside and ran to answer it.

"Heero!"

"Get out of there, now, Relena."

"What…why?

"I don't have time for questions – just do as I say."

"I'm not dressed…"

"Throw something on, grab my cell phone and get out there. Walk away from the house. I'll be there in five minutes. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Five minutes."

"Okay."

Heero looked over at the Governor, who was still staring at the corpse behind his desk.

"You're coming, too." He said to the older man, walking around the desk, and looking down at the would-be assassin.

Heero pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and gingerly picked up the revolver. It was a .38 Undercover Special. "Why?" he wondered, kicking the body to turn it over onto its back. His mind struggled to put the pieces together. "Who?"

_"I can't give you this assignment. I already gave the guy his 'down payment'…It's going down tonight." Trowa said with an enigmatic smile._

"You said you had something to give me?" Darlian asked, still dazed by his recent brush with death.

Heero pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to him.

"What…?" He exclaimed, his eyes widening, as he unfolded what turned out to be a check.

"It's yours. I never spent it. Take it back, I don't want it," his eyes narrowed. "I want her."

Governor Darlian looked up at the man who had just saved his life. "You…."

"We have to go," Heero said brusquely, grabbing the older man by the arm and leading him out to his car.

Heero's black Mercedes 600 SL screeched to an abrupt halt down the street from his house. Relena walked towards the curb. The passenger's door flew open, and he peered out at her. "Get in."

"What took you so long?" She joked. The smile faded when she saw how serious he looked. She got in and shut the door. The car sped away into the night.

Relena noticed movement in the backseat and turned around. "Father? What are you doing here?" She asked with confusion.

"Relena, I don't know, dear. I haven't a clue what is going on."

"Heero?" she asked, turning her upper body to face him.

"Not now Relena," he growled

Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and the world behind them seemed to erupt in flames. They were far enough away from the blast, but falling debris from Heero's former home landed around the car as he swerved violently to avoid it.

Relena opened her mouth to scream, but a look from Heero silenced her. As the sky stopped falling, the car was ghostly quiet. They sped toward the city lights visible in the distance.

"Where are we going?" Relena finally asked.

"Give me the phone."

She handed him the cell phone he had asked her to take with her. Heero pressed a few buttons, and held the receiver to his ear.

"Hilde? Where's Duo?"

"Uh-huh. Thanks." He pressed the 'End' button and handed the phone back to Relena. They fell back into an uneasy silence.


	13. Do you want your daughter to die?

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 13

Their car sped down the highway; the distant city lights growing closer every passing moment. Heero's mind was racing, but his puzzle was desperately short of pieces. He needed answers.

"Tell me this, Darlian, and I need the truth," Heero said menacingly.

The Governor looked up. From his position on the driver's side of the backseat, he could see the flashing cold blue eyes in the rear view mirror. "What's that?"

"What is your tie with Barton? How are you involved in this?"

"I'm not 'involved', with Barton. As I've said before…"

"I'm not interested in your political babble bull-shit! Do you want to die?" Heero snarled. There was a click as he removed the safety from his gun, "Do you want your daughter to die?" he asked in a low voice, pointing the 9mm in her face.

Relena's eyes widened, but she remained silent. "Who is this person?" she wondered. "What happened to that lost little boy that I fell in love with? He's so cold now, distant…" And suddenly that memory played again in her mind.

_She looked up into empty ice-blue eyes._

_"I'll kill you."_

She shook her head, unaware that Heero was watching her intently out of the corner of his eye.

"All right, all right! When I first ran for office as Mayor of New Port City, Quinze Barton helped finance my campaign. Back then, no one knew he wasn't a legitimate businessman. He might have been…"

Heero lowered the gun, re-engaging the safety mechanism, and glanced up in the rear view mirror. "Go on."

"I did a few favors for him, nothing illegal, mind you, but pulled some strings here and there.

"When I became an Ambassador, I didn't hear from him for a long time. I thought our business was finished. Then I was elected Governor, and found out how mistaken I was…." His voice trailed off, as if he was remembering something. He drew in a breath and continued his narrative, barely able to contain his temper.

"He claimed he was the reason I had won the election, and he had damning evidence of our former 'friendship' from my days as Mayor. He wanted me to cooperate or he'd bury my political career. I refused and waited for the worst to happen…" His voice lowered as he finished the sentence, "…and it did."

"The next thing I knew, Feds were crawling all over my books, my personal life, everything. They told me his son was dating Relena. She had always had a soft spot in her heart for…worthless young men. I don't know why…"

The harsh words came out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying.

"Father!" she looked over at Heero, who was gripping the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles had turned white. She put a hand on his arm, but he wrenched out of her grasp.

Brown eyes flashed in anger as he watched the exchange. "You, sir, are no better – holding a gun to her head to get me to talk!"

"You're not done, yet. There's evidence…evidence that judges took bribes to let Barton's guys walk; evidence of botched raids and drug busts, and evidence of state and national officials being paid off in funds traced back to a dummy corporation in which you are a share holder."

There was silence for a moment.

Heero continued in a voice filled with restrained fury, "And you mustn't think I'm too worthless because you're counting on me not killing her."

"I don't know what you're talking about! I have nothing to do with any of that…if what you say is even true!"

"Why does Barton want you dead?"

"I assumed it was because I wouldn't cooperate. That theory won't hold water with you, obviously."

"Hn."

They pulled up outside the First Methodist Hospital. Heero got out and walked over to Relena's door. He opened it and she stood up. He grabbed the arms hanging limply down at her sides, and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear.

She didn't look at him. He moved his hand to her face, tipping it gently, silently willing her to look at him.

"I'll explain everything…when this is over, I promise."

She looked down and nodded.

"Relena, you have to trust me. It's not always easy, I know, but please, I need you to believe in me."

She finally met his gaze. He saw the tears and put his arms around her. "I don't have a lot of time," he continued whispering.

She returned his hug, breathing in his comforting scent.

"I love you, Relena," he said so softly, he wasn't sure she even heard him; he kissed the top of her head.

She let out a quiet sob. He pushed her away gently, "Get in the car, I'll be right back. Sit in the back with your father. Duo will need the front seat."

She nodded and opened the door to the backseat. Heero turned and went into the hospital.

Duo opened his eyes and looked over at his friend. "Not that I'm unhappy to see ya, buddy, but visiting hours are over."

"You're coming with me."

"What? Oh, okay, yeah, sure. You're funny." He said and closed his eyes again.

"I'm not kidding," he said and yanked the IV out of Duo's arm.

"HEY!" he cried out, and brought his left arm in close to his body, cradling it in his right. "What are you, crazy?"

"Shut up," Heero commanded as he looked for something to bandage Duo's arm. He moved over to the little desk area and grabbed some gauze and tape.

"I'm bleeding," Duo whimpered.

"I don't have time for this," Heero hissed, dressing Duo's wound.

"How do you expect me to get out of here? I'm not supposed to be putting weight on this leg, yet."

Heero glared at him.

"Look, I'm only human…"

"You're going to be dead, if you don't get moving."

"Sheesh! You're sure in a good mood. Apparently, you need more than a woman to cure your dysfunction….AAAAAAA!" Duo screamed as he was pushed forward and then collapsed into the waiting wheelchair.

Heero covered him with his coat and tried to look like they belonged there as he pushed the escapee toward the waiting room leading to the exit.

"Where are we going?" Duo asked, his face set in a grim expression as he bit back the pain.

"Someplace safe. Where I can think."

"Hn. Did you at least grab my medication?"

"No. I need you to be responsive."

"Shit! I'm not that responsive when I'm not on medication!"

"Shh…" Heero suddenly opened a door and wheeled Duo into a room that looked very similar to the one they had just left. Duo looked up at him questioningly. Heero didn't notice; he was listening to footsteps.

"What are we doing?" Duo whispered.

Heero looked around the room and spied some clothing draped over a chair. He tossed it over to Duo, and then walked over to the window.

"Damn it!" Heero hissed. They were on the first floor, but nowhere near the car. He quickly chose one of the two equally bad alternatives and opened the window. "Come on."

"What? I can't walk!" Duo cried out, pulling on the oversized shirt. It looked a little ridiculous, but not nearly as bad as the hospital gown he had been wearing. He had managed to wriggle into the pants without having to fully leave the chair.

"Now!"

With great effort, Duo rose to his feet. He took a step and almost collapsed from the pain shooting up his leg. Heero caught him and half-dragged him to the window. Duo managed to struggle out the small window and prop himself up against the wall. Heero was right behind him.

The two made their way slower than what Heero would have liked towards the front of the building. Duo was making progress, able to stand more of the pain. But he still leaned heavily on Heero. Suddenly gunshots rang out, followed by a squeal of tires as a big black car tore around the corner racing towards them.

The driver slammed on the brakes, and opened the door. A blond head peeked out the side. "Hurry! Get in!"

Heero ran, carrying Duo the remaining few feet to the car. He shoved him into the back seat, before sliding into the passenger's seat. Before he could shut the door, there was another screech of tires and the sound of glass shattering as a big black Lincoln Town car slid around the corner behind them. Relena jammed her foot down on the gas pedal as Heero wrestled to close a now windowless door.

"What took you so long?" Heero shouted as Relena tore out of the parking lot onto the street, and pressed the pedal to the floor. Relena tried to keep from smiling as she gave him a disapproving sidelong glance.

"Turn here," he ordered, grabbing the wheel and yanking it to the right. She tried to keep control of the vehicle by stepping lightly on the brake. The car slid across three lanes of traffic before she was able to straighten it.

"Where are we going?"

"Just do as I say."

She frowned at him.

"Turn left."

Relena turned the wheel hard to the left, barely avoiding the curb on the far side of the two-way, two lane street. The Lincoln flew around the corner right behind them. There was the sound of more gunshots, metal tearing, and glass shattering.

"Move to the left."

Relena positioned the car in the far left lane on the wrong side of the road. She could see headlights in the distance, coming towards them. She glanced worriedly over at Heero, but held their position as she watched him turn away from her in his seat. Heero pulled his pistol from its holster and began firing at their pursuers through his windowless door. He took out the left front tire, causing the car to pitch forward and skid wildly out of control. It veered left, heading towards the Mercedes.

Relena looked at the Lincoln threatening their right side, then up at the semi truck that had come into view, barreling down on them.


	14. It can make you crazy….

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 14

Relena couldn't stop the crash. The Lincoln slammed into the back right of the Mercedes as it continued its dangerous slide across the four-lane road. She recovered quickly, punching the gas pedal to propel the car back to the right side of the street. The semi-truck smashed into the Lincoln, as the Mercedes straightened its course in the opposite direction.

Visibly shaken, Relena took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the drive ahead.

A few minutes later, Heero told her to pull over. When the car stopped, he got out, and switched places with a very relieved Relena.

The group continued to ride in silence. The lights of the city were growing more distant every second, but Heero had yet to divulge their destination. Suddenly, he leaned over and whispered something to Relena.

She opened the glove compartment, and pulled out the revolver that Heero had taken off the dead man in the Governor's mansion. She turned and handed it to Duo. He looked at it closely.

"How did you get this?" Duo asked his friend, obviously surprised.

"When did you lose it?" Heero asked evasively.

"I didn't. I had it the night of the drug bust. I haven't really needed it since then."

"Hn."

Relena looked over at Heero. "You didn't answer his question. How did you get it? And what is it?"

"It's my service revolver," Duo answered.

Relena looked up at Heero expectantly. He remained silent. "Well?"

Heero looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"How did you get my service revolver?" Duo asked again.

"He took it off the man that almost killed me tonight," Governor Darlian replied.

"WHAT?" Relena cried out, turning around to look at her father. "Someone tried to kill you?" She turned back towards Heero. "That's where you went tonight? To stop someone from murdering my father?"

Heero still didn't say anything. He seemed to be concentrating on the road. Realizing she wasn't going to get any more answers out of him, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes with a sigh. Finally releasing the pent-up tension from her stunt driving, she fell asleep in a few minutes.

"What's going on," Duo asked in a whisper.

Heero met his eyes in the rear view mirror. "Later."

They arrived at a motel situated just off the highway, not too far from the airport. They checked into two adjacent rooms under assumed names.

Before she could protest, Heero pulled Relena into one of the rooms and shut the door behind them. The Governor looked like he was about to go after them, but Duo suddenly cried out in pain, and grabbed the older man's arm for support. Mr. Darlian unlocked the door to the other room and helped the injured man forward. Duo could barely contain his laughter as he leaned heavily on the Governor and groaned in what he hoped sounded like pain.

Heero turned towards Relena, hoping to steal a kiss, but met with a hard slap to the face. He noted that while it still didn't hurt, her hand did seem to have more force behind it than the last. Her action only served to heighten his attraction.

Relena crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at Heero.

"What was that for?" he asked gruffly and grabbed her right arm harshly jerking her forward.

"You pointed a gun at my head! How dare you!" she choked back a sob and brought her left hand up to slap him again. He caught her arm mid-swing, and brought it to his waist as he pulled her into a warm embrace.

She fought against his firm hold, working her arms up to pummel his chest. He continued to hold her for several minutes until she stopped struggling, and her sobs quieted.

Relena turned away and wiped at the few tears that still stained her flushed cheeks. "What's happening? I don't understand what is going on!"

"It's Barton. You knew this would happen. I told you what I had to do."

"But the bomb, and the…They tried to kill father?"

Heero nodded.

"Why were they at the hospital?"

"To get Duo."

"Why?"

"That's something I have to figure out."

"Oh," she looked down at the floor. Then she turned around. "What can I do?"

"You have to stay here," he said flatly.

"But I should help."

"You can't."

"Look, just because I'm a woman, doesn't mean…"

"It has nothing to do with your gender. Duo and I are trained to handle these situations. You are not. You will stay here." There was finality in his tone of voice, but he once again underestimated Relena's stubborn streak.  
"You can't force me to do anything I don't want to. I can leave as soon as you're out of sight."

Heero looked smug. "You won't."

Relena smiled mischievously, "Why not?"

He looked deep into her eyes, "Because you're in love with me, so you'll do what I say."

Relena sputtered as she tried to think of a cutting remark, but failed. She glared at him. He laughed at her expression, as she turned away from him in a huff. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. She didn't try to pull away. His hot breath tickled her ear as he whispered, "Believe in me, Relena."

She turned and looked up at him questioningly. He bent his head forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. She closed her eyes and smiled at the gentle touch.

She felt him move away, and opened her eyes languidly. He was already at the door. "I'll be back, soon." He started out the door, then stopped. "Don't let anyone in. No one, you understand?"

Relena nodded in acquiescence. Heero smiled slightly and went out the door. "Lock the door, Relena, and put the chain on."

Relena obediently crossed the room and locked the door. Heero waited on the other side until he heard the sound of the chain being locked in place before he went next door to see Duo.

As he entered, he glared at the Governor. He still didn't trust the man completely. "Come on, Duo, let's go."

Duo stood up and limped over to the door.

"The three of us are leaving," Heero lied.

Duo looked at him surprised.

"You, Mr. Darlian, if you know what is good for you, will stay here. Do not try to contact anyone. I don't think it is possible to exaggerate the situation you are in."

"Are you threatening me?"

Heero just glared at him, and then turned and walked out the door.

Out in the hall, Duo looked around puzzled. "Where is Relena?"

"She's in her room."

"Why did you tell him she was going, too?"

"I don't trust him."

Heero and Duo got back in the Mercedes and took off.

"Where are we going?" Duo asked.

"I need a computer."

"We could go to my office."

"No, someone's trying to frame you. We can't trust anyone at the PD."

"Not that office," Duo replied with a sad smile.

Heero gave him a questioning look.

Duo pulled out his FBI badge and flashed it.

Heero arched a suspicious eyebrow at his friend.

"So they knew."

"They suspected." Duo said evasively. "It was a big gamble on their part, sending you in."

"Are you at least going to let me finish what I started?"

"I owe you for saving my life."

Heero nodded and drove towards the place he hadn't seen in two years.

He supposed he had spent too much time around Trowa to be completely comfortable in the confines of Duo's office. Heero sat down at his desk and started working. He paused only to ask Duo for passwords to the requested documents. He didn't want to add hacking the FBI's servers to his growing list of crimes.

Heero's eyes flicked over the documents, absorbing their contents quickly. "Why did the Governor say the FBI had found nothing?"

"Because we didn't want to alert anyone that we had found anything, yet."

"So, he's not involved?"

"Well, let's just say he appears to be only a minor player in this."

"Hn."

"We think a certain aide is the major player in his administration. But so far, we're stumped on how she communicates with the leak in the PD and Barton. I'm hoping you may have some clue," he said, bringing a file of Dorothy Catalonia up on screen.

"Never seen her."

"What about him?" Duo asked, bringing a picture of a man with long platinum blonde hair up on screen.

Heero glared at the picture, then Duo. "What do you think, I'm an idiot?"

"Well, we know he's the chief of police, I was just wondering if you had ever seen him around Barton, or…"

"No. But I'm sure you know he's Relena's brother."

"Yeah, which makes her the link, but I can't believe she's involved."

"Is that why Treize wanted me to get close to her?" Heero asked, remembering his last set of instructions given in the dead of night six long months ago. As their investigation had narrowed in scope to a possible link between Quinze and Governor Darlian's administration, Treize had 'suggested' he get close to Relena.

"Yeah. So, is she?"

"Involved? If she is, it's not intentionally."

Duo scrutinized his friend's face. "I don't think you can be objective about this."

"You don't believe she's mixed up in this, either. Why?"

Duo smiled. "Doesn't add up. "

"Hn."

"Why don't you think she's involved?"

"I said she isn't intentionally involved. I think she is the key to all this."

Duo looked puzzled.

"It makes sense. Barton was angry about losing Relena. He told me himself that he loved her. So, he wanted revenge on those that turned her against him - her father and brother."

Duo interjected, "But you said he gave her to you?"

"Yes."

"Then, I don't understand."

"You don't know what it is to be in love with her. And you don't understand Barton. Trowa 'gave' her to me to protect because he knew he couldn't. Quinze would have forced him to kill her."

Duo nodded silently.

"As much as Trowa hurt when she left, he couldn't kill her. If she was seen in the organization as my girl, then it would become my responsibility to keep her from doing anything stupid….or killing her if she does."

"So, that doesn't explain why he would go after Darlian and Zeches."

Heero got up and crossed the room. "It can make you crazy….To Trowa, he had lost the only good in himself. Whatever part of him didn't want to be a hardened criminal died when she left him."

Duo had a sneaking suspicion they had stopped talking about Trowa. "I guess I'm still not following how this all fits together."

"I'm guessing that Darlian had backed Zeches into a corner over the task force. He wanted to make a move. So, Zeches sent his accomplice to warn Barton about the drug bust. But Trowa wasn't thinking clearly; instead of backing off, he sent his guys with the intent to kill. He wanted to embarrass the Governor."

Duo nodded.

"He caught all kinds of hell from Quinze about the drug bust fiasco. Resentful of the reprimand, Trowa vowed to get even with both Zeches and the Governor in one shot. He sent an assassin to eliminate Darlian, and tried to frame someone in the PD - you."

"Guess they bought my idiot routine," Duo said with a grin. "I knew shooting Wu-fei in his bullet-proof vest would pan out…. Well, and it felt good, too…"

"Hn."

Duo's smile faded. "Now that you've helped me figure this all out, you know what I have to do."

Heero nodded. "May I make one request?"

"Depends on what it is."

"Help me get her out of here."


	15. I don’t give a damn if you do still hide...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this. Chapter 15 

The two arrived back at the hotel and went inside. A white Ford sedan pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later.

Heero went directly to Relena's room. Duo was still a little slow with his leg, as he made his way back to the other room. He laughed when he found Heero stuck at the door, unable to convince Relena to let him in.

"You said no one. That means you," she teased.

"Relena, take the privacy chain off."

She laughed at him.

Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. In a flash, Heero whipped out his gun and turned on his heel only to come face to face with, "Treize." Heero spoke the name in greeting.

Treize nodded, "Yuy."

Relena had finally decided to quit tormenting Heero and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. Her smile faded at the sight of a stranger.

He was a little over six feet tall, with short brown hair and well-chiseled features. He stood there looking casual for six o'clock in the morning, wearing a starched white dress shirt, open at the collar and navy slacks. His sports coat was slung over one shoulder like he was posing for a magazine. To Treize's subordinates, this was no surprise.

Heero put down his gun. Duo moved to his side.

Relena could sense the tension in the air as Duo made the first move. "Treize, we stopped the Foundation from killing Darlian, he's in there," Duo said motioning to one of the rooms with an incline of the head.

"And your report?"

Duo glanced at his longtime friend, then at Relena. Memories of his many years of friendship with Heero flashed in his mind. But the one that stuck in his mind was the two of them getting caught with that hamster. Heero had tried to take all the blame, but Duo wouldn't let him.

He took a deep breath and smiled, "Negative, sir. There may be some question as to his methods, but he's clean. He's the one that saved Darlian."

"Good work, then, Yuy." His ice blue eyes glanced over at Relena, he smiled faintly in approval. "I see you met all your mission objectives."

"Yes sir."

Treize nodded. "Well gentleman, now that we know who is involved, we just have to bring them in, right?"

"Actually, there is one thing we still haven't figured out," Duo replied. "And that is, if Dorothy was the connection, how did she, Zeches, and Barton communicate without Heero ever seeing them together? We found no communications - no email or telephone records."

"Dorothy?" Relena gasped. "What does she have to do with this?"

"Quiet, Relena," Heero growled.

"Then maybe it isn't Dorothy. What about her?" Treize asked motioning toward Relena.

"No, we're pretty certain she's not involved," Duo answered.

"We're positive she at least didn't do anything intentionally," Heero amended.

"What?" Relena cried out in indignation.

"Relena, I told you to be quiet. Now is not the time."

He wasn't facing her so he didn't see the look of anger pass across her face. He did, however, hear the door slam as she went back to her room, and the privacy chain slide back in place. Heero sighed inwardly.

Treize chuckled. "She's quite feisty."

Heero glared at him.

"I hope you didn't fall for her. The Bureau knew you two had history together, but we were assured that the feelings were all on her part."

"Damn!" Heero said to himself. "Why did everyone else know she loved me, except me?" He continued glaring at Treize.

Duo took that moment to break into the conversation, "Let's not have this reunion in the hallway." He opened the door to the Governor's room and the three men filed in.

"No!" Heero shouted angrily. "I won't allow it."

"She's the only one they're not after. He'll believe her," Treize reasoned.

"Maybe, but what if he doesn't?" _Or worse yet, what if he does?_ Heero was mentally trying to put aside the thought of her playing up to Trowa. Anger threatened to boil over as he pictured the other man touching her, kissing her…. "NO!" he roared out at three stunned men.

"I don't think he likes the idea very much, Treize," Duo said grinning at his usually reserved friend's outburst.

Treize raised an eyebrow as he regarded Heero's flushed complexion. "Seems you got a bit too attached, Yuy. We can't trust your instincts on this; your feelings have gotten in the way of your mission."

"Let me go, instead. I can talk to him, he'll trust me," Heero replied coldly.

"No, we're going to stick to the plan to send her in. She can handle it."

Heero's fists clenched at his sides as he glared at his superior. "Fine, but don't let this guy," he snarled motioning to the Governor, "out of your sight. I don't trust him."

The Governor looked up in surprise, but backed down at the fury in Heero's eyes.

They finished strapping the microphone onto her chest, and she pulled her shirt back on. Treize went over her instructions again, for what seemed like the hundredth time. Relena tried to keep from rolling her eyes as he explained how to use the emergency alert button, in case she felt her life was in danger. Instead she glanced at Heero, who glared coldly at the space in front of him.

She sighed, and tuned out the rest of Treize's ranting, and wondered again what was wrong with Heero. Ever since Treize had shown up he had become distant and cold. She remembered what his superior had said when he saw her at the motel, about Heero having met all his mission objectives. She didn't like the sound of that, but couldn't dwell on it at the moment. She suddenly noticed Treize had stopped talking, so she smiled and nodded at him.

"Good. Maxwell, Yuy, you guys are in charge of getting her in. I'll organize the back up team, and surveillance. Go," he said and climbed out of the Mercedes.

They stopped a few blocks away from Trowa's mansion and let Relena out. She walked over to the awaiting car Treize had arranged. She climbed in and drove off. Heero still hadn't said a word to her.

Relena got out of the car and walked up to the gate. She squared her shoulders as she prepared mentally for the part she had to play. She stepped forward to press the intercom button on the gate.

Suddenly, there was a whirl of movement, and she felt a heavy hand press down on her shoulder. She tried to turn around, but a white cloth was clamped violently over her nose and mouth, muffling her scream. Instinctively, she struggled against her captor, kicking as she was lifted off the ground. She smelled something sickeningly sweet just before a blanket of darkness enveloped her senses.

Heero bent over and picked up her limp form. He walked a short way down the drive and placed her in the backseat of the car. He turned to Duo. "You'll just have to trust me on this."

"I do. Are you all wired up?"

"Yeah," he said and pulled his gun out of the holster to check its cartridge. Satisfied, he replaced it. He started to walk away, but stopped after only few steps. He turned back towards the car. "Thanks."

"For what?"

Heero glared at him. "And take care of her for me."

"Nope. You're going to take care of her, and that's an order," Duo replied with a grin. _Don't die._

Heero nodded and walked away. Duo watched until he reached the gate and then drove off.

"Damn it!" Duo said and smacked his forehead. "That coward! He left me to deal with Treize!"

Heero entered the mansion through the rear door. He drew his gun and made his way through the house to Trowa's office. Muffled voices sounded from within the room. He took a step back and kicked the door in.

The sight inside was shocking, to say the least, but Heero didn't flinch. Quinze was standing near the open door, while two men held a bleeding and bruised Trowa on his knees. A third, Heero recognized as Vinny, was obviously rearranging some of the young man's finer facial features with his fist. Vinny was not a guy to mess with; he was a large Italian man with a fist the size of Texas. The expensively tailored suits he always wore did nothing to diminish his ability to intimidate. But there was one person in the organization that Vinny truly admired and respected.

They all stopped and looked at Heero standing in the doorway with his gun drawn.

"Let him go," Heero commanded.

The three men stared at him for a second, then helped Trowa to his feet.

"Yuy," Vinny said in greeting. He owed his life to Heero Yuy. Heero had saved his neck on more than one occasion, and even took a bullet for him once during a surprise police raid.

Quinze was incensed that they were disobeying his orders. "What the hell are you doing?"

Vinny frowned and turned his attention to the thin gray-haired man that had just yelled at him. "Fuck you," he said in a throaty New York accent.

Heero was quietly moving around the room towards the desk Trowa was slumped over. So far, Quinze hadn't noticed his movements. The older man grabbed his gun and pointed it at Vinny.

"Put it down, Quinze, or I will kill you," Heero snarled.

Vinny smirked as his adversary lowered the weapon.

Trowa pulled his head off the desk and coughed up some blood. He looked at Heero silently across the room, and gave an almost imperceptible nod of the head. Heero nodded in understanding, and continued towards him.

"Who do you think you are? I'm in charge, I give the orders here, not you!" Quinze shouted angrily.

"Not anymore," Heero replied impassively. He reached the desk, and looked down at Trowa. His face was swollen and cut. "Get him some ice." One of the other subordinates left the room.

"You're going to take the fall, Quinze. The Governor is going to talk to save his own ass, and your 'Foundation' will come crashing down. Trowa will be giving the orders around here."

"You…." Quinze spat at Trowa, "this is your fault! After all I've done for you, you ungrateful son-of-a-bitch! This is how you repay me? Selling me out to the Feds?"

Trowa glared at him.

"Feds?" Vinny asked, looking nervous.

"Yeah, Yuy over there is with the Feds - you fucking idiot!"

"He's not with the Feds," Trowa hissed.

"Then why the fuck did he stop your assassin?"

"Trowa didn't want him dead. His boy just got stupid," Heero lied.

Something flashed in Trowa's eyes, but he didn't argue. Instead, he bent over and coughed up more blood.

There was the sound of a vehicle coming up the drive, then a door slammed shut. Footsteps sounded down the corridor, and a tall, middle-aged man with long platinum blond hair strode confidently into the room. He stopped just inside the door, as a man with dark brown hair moved the gun to target him.

"Zeches," Heero hissed and narrowed his eyes with hatred.

"Quinze, you said there was an emergency. What the fuck is this?" Zechs asked motioning towards the gun trained on him.

"Heero Yuy. He stopped the assassination on the Governor last night."

"Thank God," he said in obvious relief, then looked over at Trowa. His lip curled into a snarl and he started forward. He stopped when Heero tightened his grip on his weapon. "Barton, God damn it, where's my sister?"

Heero smirked, "Warming my bed."

Zeches looked up at him with pure hatred.

"I won't hesitate to kill you. I don't give a damn if you do still hide behind that badge. That's all you've ever done - is hide behind it. You certainly never upheld the law," Heero sneered.

"Who the hell are you?"

"You don't remember? You should. It's your fault my brother died."

Zeches smirked. "I've killed a lot of people."

"The name Odin Lowe ring any bells?" Heero asked, his voice dripping with venom.

Zeches's eyes widened. "Heero Yuy…you son of a bitch!" Zeches yelled and lunged for him. Vinny caught the police chief just in time to save his life.

"You promised to get him into rehab if I went quietly. I upheld my end of the bargain, and left Relena alone. I later found out you never helped him - but by then he was already dead."

"That's because he was a loser. Just like you."

Treize and Duo were listening to the bizarre exchange inside the van located down the block from the Barton house.

"What the hell is he talking about?" Treize asked.

Duo shrugged. "He knows what he's doing."

"We have enough on the assassination to get Trowa. What's he up to? That was what we needed, instead it's like he's covering for him," Treize hissed.

"I think he wants to get enough on Zeches to put him away, too."

"But it's the Barton Foundation we want – Quinze, Trowa, and their whole organization. Zeches will talk once we back him into a corner. The soon to be former Police chief will tell us what we need to know in order to avoid a lengthy prison term. He's the weak link..."

Treize's sentence was cut-off by the sound of gunshots resonating through Heero's microphone - startling the two back to the situation at hand.

"Oh God," Duo murmured and looked up at Treize. His eyes were full of concern as the sounds inside the house continued to filter in through Heero's mike.

Treize blinked, then reached for his walkie-talkie. "Everyone into position. We've got a man down."


	16. She saw blood oozing out from around the...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this. 

Chapter 16

The force of the bullet entering his body, tearing his flesh with white-hot pain, knocked Heero off balance. He fell backwards, against the wall, staining and streaking its pristine surface with angry blood as he sank down to the ground in a heap. His eyes glazed over in pain, but he forced himself to look up at Trowa.

Trowa lay forward over his executive-style desk, blood spilling down its side in a gory mess. Heero leaned back and closed bleary eyes. He just needed to rest them for a moment….

When they opened again, Trowa had changed positions. He seemed to have fallen to the ground, his lifeless body lying in a widening crimson pool. Zeches was ranting in the distance at someone…Quinze.

"Zeches…." Heero hissed. He reached out for the gun that had fallen from his blood-covered hand. He felt the cool metal in his palm and tried to raise it. But he couldn't see his target over the large desk in front of him.

Ignoring the pain in his right shoulder, Heero tried to stand, leaning on the wall for support. He raised the gun painfully and aimed at Zeches, trying to keep his vision focused through the haze.

It was too late. Quinze saw him. Zeches turned and fired before Heero could get his shot off. The gun clattered to the ground, and Heero fell back, cradling his freshly wounded right hand. Zeches smirked and aimed again.

Duo and Treize made their way quietly down the hallway, listening for sounds of movement in the rooms they walked passed. Their pistols drawn, they checked every door. When another gunshot rang out, Duo took off running towards the source. Treize was close behind.

Duo kicked in the door to Trowa's office. "FBI, Nobody move!"

Zeches's gun went off; Heero fell to the ground. Duo fired at Zeches, shattering the hand that held the weapon. FBI agents swarmed into the room, weapons drawn.

While Treize and others took charge of arresting those left standing, Duo radioed for a medic and quickly crossed the room. _Don't die! _

In his haste, he nearly tripped over a large Italian man lying on the floor, his dead eyes staring up at what they could no longer see.

He moved around to the side of the desk, and froze. His stomach turned at the sight that greeted him. Trowa lay on the ground sprawled out on his left side. His feet lay in a large pool of blood. Red, sticky handprints and streaks of gore gave testament to the fact that Trowa had been dragging his body towards the other side of the desk where he clutched Heero's pant leg.

Heero had collapsed on the floor, his head hanging forward and his left arm still cradling his right hand. As Duo bent down to feel for a pulse, he noticed the shell stuck in the wall behind Heero's body. Something about the scene nagged at the back of his mind.

"We've got two live ones back here!" He yelled to no one in particular and stood up. He looked over at the agents advising Quinze, Zeches, and the others of their rights, then back down at his friend. "Hold on, buddy. You're going to be okay." He whirled around as a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. At the doorway, stood Relena with a horrified expression on her face.

"Oh, God. She can't see him like this," Duo thought and vaulted over the desk to intercept her. He winced in pain as he landed on the wrong leg. He limped the rest of the way across the room.

"Duo?" She looked up at him with frightened eyes. "Where is he?"

"Relena, he'll be fine," he said soothingly, grasping her hands. "Why don't you go wait outside?" He suggested, and searched the hallway for someone who didn't look busy to take care of her. "Damn it, how did she get in here?" he wondered.

She was resisting his efforts to move her from the room, trying to see around him. "What do you mean? Is he hurt?" She asked worriedly, craning her neck to see behind him.

"Nothing too bad. Come on, let's get you out of here."

Just then, the paramedics rushed into view down the hallway. Duo shouted to them, momentarily forgetting Relena. She slipped through the narrow opening he had left between his body and the doorframe, and went further into the room.

She saw blood oozing out from around the side of the desk and screamed in terror. For an instant she was transported back to that convenience store, seeing crimson life seep from behind the counter, and knowing all too well what she would find there if she looked. Death. Heero was dead. She screamed again. "No, Heero, no!" She sunk down to her knees in the middle of the room.

Duo heard a scream and turned to see Relena in the middle of the room staring at something near the desk. "Shit!" he cursed and moved towards her.

The paramedics were right behind him. He reached her side as she fell to the ground. He bent down and grabbed her under the arms, trying to get her up to a standing position. "Relena, he's going to be all right. Come on, we're in the way, here. We need to let these guys work."

She didn't hear him. She just stared blankly ahead; he picked her up and carried her out to the hallway.

In a far corner of the room, Zeches watched the scene with a dark look on his face while a medic bandaged his blood-soaked hand.

Relena and Duo stood out in the hallway, while the paramedics worked. After what seemed like hours, but was probably closer to twenty minutes, Trowa was whisked by on a stretcher. Relena bit her lip as she saw him go by. He was so pale, and blood still stained much of his clothing. They had placed the portable oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, covering much of his face. Duo could see the concern in her eyes before she buried her face into his chest.

"Come on, Relena, let's go. I'll take you to the hospital. We can wait there."

She nodded her acceptance and they started towards the exit. Two more medics rushed by with the stretcher carrying Heero. They practically ran over Relena in their haste; she had to jump back out of their way. When she saw him lying there, so lifeless and frail, the world pitched and swirled around her. Duo caught her before she hit the ground. "Heero." She whimpered softly.

At the hospital, Heero and Trowa were taken immediately to surgery. Both were in critical condition after Zeches's rampage. Trowa had sustained a gunshot wound to his left shoulder and upper part of his left arm. He had lost a lot of blood, as evidenced by the dark pools left on the floor of his study. The doctors had instantly given him a transfusion.

He was the first out of surgery, and Relena stood at his window watching over his frail form. She found it strangely comforting to be there and to be able to see his face. She glanced over at the entrance to the ICU, and noted that Treize had wasted no time in posting guards at his door. She closed her eyes and prayed.

Duo found her at the ICU window looking in on Trowa, and frowned. "No way am I going to let that happen while Heero's in there fighting for his life." He said to himself. "Hey, there you are," he called out cheerfully.

Her neck snapped up and her eyes opened wide, "Any word?" She asked him anxiously.

Duo shook his head. "I guess I shouldn't have worried about her and Trowa," he thought with a smile when he saw the look on her face.

"Nothing yet, but I'm sure he's going to pull through just fine."

"Oh," she said softly, the concern evident on her face.

"Your father's looking for you."

Relena's face darkened. "I have nothing to say to him. He and my brother can go rot in hell."

Duo was surprised. Her quiet voice didn't quite fit the harsh words spilling from her mouth. "Relena…."

"Duo. Please don't tell him where I am. I don't feel like dealing with that right now."

"Dealing with what?" a deep voice sounded out in the hallway behind her.

Relena turned around. Treize and her father were walking towards them. "I don't have anything to say to either of you."

"Relena, dear, I know you must be upset. But you've been through quite an ordeal over the last week, and you need to rest. I'm sure this…boy of yours…"

"He's a man, now, father. I think twenty-six is old enough to be considered a man," she said coldly.

Duo glared at the governor. "No wonder Heero always hated this guy," he thought.

A look of anger passed over Mr. Darlian's face at his daughter's words. "Actually, Relena, a man doesn't toy with a young woman's affections. Only boys do that."

"Whatever you're going to say, don't bother. I won't listen to you. I'm done listening to you."

Duo's face had gone pale, and he looked over at Treize. He could tell his superior didn't like the turn this conversation had taken, either. "Hey, um, anybody hungry? I'm starved! All I've been eating is hospital food, and I could go for some real cuisine…."

The governor cut him off ruthlessly. "You were part of his job, you know. He was supposed to get close to you to get to me, Relena. Isn't that right, Treize?" His voice was stern and unyielding - ever the man in command.

Treize flinched. "Technically…that would be correct…."

Duo's glare silenced him.

Relena turned away from them. Duo saw tears of hurt well up in her eyes. His heart sank in his chest. "Heero, man, I'm trying…."

"Come, now, Relena, let's go home," her father's voice had turned sickeningly sweet, and he moved towards her to take her arm. "Before you make a bigger fool out of yourself over such a…."

"No!" She cried out, pushing him away, and turning around to face them once again. "I already told you, I have nothing to say to you! And there's not anything you can have to say to me that I would want to hear. So just leave. All of you just leave me alone." Her voice had started out angry, but had quickly waned to a tone of sad defeat.

Mr. Darlian took a step towards her.

"Did you hear what the lady said? She wants you to leave her alone." Treize said in a commanding voice. He nodded at Duo and they escorted an angry governor out of the building.

Relena went over and sat down on one of the long narrow benches in the waiting room. She hugged her legs up to her chest, and rested the side of her face on her knees. She closed her eyes and waited. "I won't believe him this time, Heero. Just come back to me. Please come back…"


	17. Please, God, don’t take him from me agai...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 17 

The doctor found her sleeping lightly on one of the wooden benches in the waiting area. "Miss Darlian," he called loudly.

She opened her eyes drowsily. "Yes? How is he?" Relena asked, blinking back the haze of sleep.

"The next twenty-four hours are critical. Surgery went as well as can be expected, considering the extent of his injuries." The doctor's expression was severe. There was no use in giving anyone false hopes. Better for them to assume the worst, and be mentally prepared for what one hoped would never come.

Relena frowned at the doctor's words. "May I see him?"

"Yes. But you can only stay for a short time." The smile that lit up her features threatened to break through the older man's stoic barriers. Relena just had that effect on people.

A nurse led her down a long corridor and opened the door to his room. Relena's heart broke at the sight of him lying there so helpless; his beautiful wild brown hair slicked down against his forehead with sweat. The quiet "shush" of the respirator was soothing despite its frightening appearance, and a harsh beeping sound warned off death with its steady beat.

Relena took a deep breath as fear coursed through her body. "Heero," she whispered.

The nurse watched from the doorway with compassion for the poor girl. She looked down at the chart and shook her head at the instructions for limited visitation before exiting the room.

Relena pulled the chair from its place against the wall to Heero's bedside and sat down. She gently wove her fingers in with those of his left hand. "Please," she begged in her mind. "Please, God, don't take him from me again…."

White. Florescent lights reflected off antiseptic walls. Heero opened his eyes and blinked, trying to adjust to the harsh glare. He felt something in his left hand - a touch warm and soft. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he turned his head, he looked down to see what it was.

Relena was sitting in a chair, slumped over the side of his hospital bed holding his hand. Her golden hair loose about her shoulders, spilled in waves over the colorless sheets. He pulled his hand gently from her grasp and ran it lightly through the silky threads.

"Relena…" he murmured.

She felt something in her hair; it felt like rain. She looked up at the sunny sky and frowned. Someone was calling her name. She opened her eyes and groaned as she tried to lift her head with aching muscles. "How long have I been asleep?" she wondered as she rubbed her neck.

She heard the reassuring sound of the heart monitor beeping, and sighed. She looked with tired eyes up at that ever-sleeping face and froze.

"Heero!" she cried out, a smile lighting up her features.

Sapphire eyes sparkled with life despite the pale skin marred with dark circles surrounding their depths. He smiled slightly and moved his hand to push aside strands of gold that fell in her face.

"You're awake. How do you feel?" Her cheerful expression changed quickly to one of concern.

"Better," he whispered hoarsely.

Her smile returned, and she grabbed his hand, holding it in both of hers. He closed his eyes again and drifted back to sleep. He never saw the silver tears that silently slipped down her face.

A young woman with long pale blonde hair and cold blue eyes turned an arrogant smile on Treize. "I don't know what you're talking about. Governor Darlian is not involved with any of this business. You must be mistaken."  
"The Governor doesn't have much to do with this, we know, but we suspect that you do." Treize snarled, leaning close to her face as he spoke.

Dorothy's expression didn't betray any of her fear. Her outward appearance remained calm, as if she was immune to his threats. Politics had taught her something after all.

"I won't say another word without speaking to my lawyer first," she said firmly, and looked away from the wretched man in front of her.

Heero was moved out of the ICU. His vital signs were as expected, and the doctors changed his status from critical to stable. He was given a private room with a large window, and a television set.

Relena pulled the curtains back to let some sunlight in. He gave her a quizzical look. "I thought the sun would do you good," she smiled.

"Hn." He watched her intently. It seemed like she had something on her mind, but she wasn't talking. Just flitting about the room, tending to his every whim. Fluffing pillows, helping him eat. It was nice, comforting, but at his heart, somehow unsettling.

"Why are you still here?" he asked coldly. "God it hurts to breathe," he groaned mentally.

"What do you mean?" Her bright look and sunny demeanor suddenly dimmed.

"You should go home, get some rest. You look terrible."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You don't look so good yourself." She retorted, crossing her arms.

"I'm not supposed to."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. You should just take better care of yourself. The hospital pays doctors and nurses to watch over me. I don't need you, too."

"Well, thank you very much!" She said angrily. The hurt look in her eyes was not lost on Heero.

"Relena, I didn't mean…." He tried to shift slightly in his bed, but every movement hurt. "You should go home and rest. Take a shower, and relax. You worry too much, I'm fine."

She turned away from him, and faced the window. She didn't speak.

"Relena…"

"And where should I go?" She asked in a low voice.

"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, where should I go? You stopped me from leaving…. I was only staying with father while I was attending law school. When we had our little…disagreement, I was going to go back to Dallas. I had friends there from college. You stopped me from getting on the plane. I have no home here, anymore. Nor do you, if you remember correctly."

He could have kicked himself. His house had been obliterated the night before.

She wasn't looking at him, just staring out the window. "I guess I should really stop living in denial."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.

"You never really cared, did you?"

"What?"

"I was just one of your 'objectives', wasn't I? Treize told me, but Duo tried to deny it. I wanted to see for myself."

"Relena, I…"

"No. Rest, Heero. If you have something to say, we can talk about it later. Right now you need to get better," she said softly. " I'll go."

His eyes followed her out of the room. "I'm sorry, Relena," he whispered after the door closed and she was no longer in sight. He closed his eyes and felt a different pain in his chest – one that the painkillers wouldn't be able to numb.

Heero opened his eyes the next morning to silence. He glanced around the room and sighed. She wasn't there. Pain radiated from his wounds burning like a hungry flame. He pressed the button for the nurse and closed his eyes again.

A disturbance outside his room woke him from his light sleep. The nurse burst in, reluctantly letting in an endlessly chattering Duo. "Hey! You're awake!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "They weren't letting me in claiming that you needed your rest, which I understand of course, having been there myself and all – you know on the brink of death…Anyway, then you're little light-thingy came on indicating you wanted your medication, and nursy here had to admit you were awake. But she said I couldn't come in until after she'd administered it."

Heero looked at the nurse, silently pleading for something that would knock him out to stop the pain of Duo's incessant yapping on his eardrums.

"So, howya feelin', buddy? Where's Relena?" He asked without taking a breath and looking about the room. His smile faded as he took in his friend's face. "Aw, man…I uh, I tried to stop them, but you know her asshole of a father – somehow he found out, and well…." Duo watched his friend for some sort of reaction to what he was saying, but there was no expression on Heero's face. He continued, anyway, "You'd be proud of her, though. She told the old man to kiss off. I mean, not exactly in those words, but she told him to leave her alone, and that she wouldn't listen to him anymore."

"I don't want to talk about it." Heero said flatly.

"Well, I don't care, you're going to talk about it," Duo said firmly. "You've both been through hell for one another, and yet – here you are, no closer than when you started. You're still letting that infernal man beat you."

Heero glared at him sharply. "Beat me?"

"Yes, you're letting him win. What's worse is that you're actually proving him right."

Heero looked away. "What makes you think I actually care about her?"

Duo snorted. "Oh, pu-lease. Don't insult my intelligence. You should have seen your face when Treize was talking about sending her in there to 'talk' to Trowa. I had never seen you get jealous before then, but I have now." Duo smirked, "It's not a pretty sight."

"I wasn't jealous. I was…concerned about her safety. Trowa can be violent when backed in a corner." Heero's eyes dared Duo to contradict him. "I don't see what this has to do with anything, anyway. Did Trowa make it?"

Duo glared at his friend. He was not convinced by Heero's declaration of apathy. He remembered the scene out on the high school lawn that fateful day, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. He had never seen proof that there was such a thing as destiny, until he saw Relena in Heero's arms. Even at sixteen, they just had seemed to fit together; he had never seen his friend so happy as he was during those few months. Or as angry as the day he had come back after seeing Relena's father. Duo had quietly helped the sullen boy pack his few belongings, and had made a solemn vow to himself that he would tell Relena what had happened. And he would have, had Heero not made him promise otherwise.

_"She doesn't need to know, Duo."_

He wouldn't make that mistake twice. He wouldn't promise Heero this time.

"Yeah, Trowa made it out of surgery okay. Treize is just waiting for the doctor's release to start questioning him."

"He saved my life in there. Tell Treize to give him a break."

"What? No way! Treize is in with Darlian and Chief Marquise offering them a deal to turn state's evidence on the Barton boys."

"Duo, he's making a mistake. Trowa's not the one he wants. He could still be in some danger." Heero's voice was quiet, but there was an urgency to it that made Duo angry.

"I can't believe you! He almost ruined your life completely, and you're protecting him. May I remind you that if it hadn't been for me, you could be facing charges yourself right now," Duo growled.

"You shouldn't have covered for me – the only thing you succeeded in doing is putting your own career in jeopardy, too."

"Yeah, well, I thought I was doing it for a friend." Duo said, moving toward the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just get some rest…." He opened the door and started to leave.

"Duo!" Heero called out.

"Yeah?" Duo paused in the doorway.

"It's Zeches. Don't offer him a deal. He shot Trowa to cover up his own involvement in the assassination attempt. He was the one that wanted Darlian dead." Heero paused a moment to let the information sink in. "Give the deal to Trowa."

"Do you have any proof?" Duo asked.

"No. You just have to trust me."

"I don't know if I can anymore," Duo said sadly. He shut the door behind him.


	18. “Oh, I’d love to have my revenge on him ...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 18

Zeches smirked as he read over the paper in front of him. Not full immunity, but close enough. He wouldn't have to do any hard time. Fools. In two years, he would be out, and then he'd even be able to get revenge on that low-life scum Heero Yuy.

A knock sounded on the door to the conference room where Treize, Zeches and four attorneys sat around a large oblong oak table. Duo entered wearing a very somber navy-blue suit. Treize looked up in surprise. "Can't it wait, Maxwell?"

"Actually, no, sir, it can't." Duo replied nervously. _Damn Heero, why am I doing this?_

Treize rose from the table, and followed Duo out into the hallway.

"You can't give Zeches the deal. Heero says the chief's the one that ordered the hit on Darlian."

"Does he have proof? I admit I don't like the idea of giving partial immunity to a man that shot up one of my agents, but it's the Barton Foundation we're after. We need his testimony and the Governor's to make a case against them."

"Heero says that Trowa will turn state's evidence on this. He suggested we offer him a deal," Duo cringed in preparation for the onslaught of verbal abuse sure to erupt from Treize's mouth. He was not disappointed.

"WHAT?" Treize roared. "No. Absolutely not! Yuy should be counting his lucky stars that I haven't started proceedings against him for his conduct on this case. It's highly suspect. First, he stopped reporting in, then he falls for the girl, and ruins our plans for the set-up. He nearly got himself and one of the suspects killed." Treize was glaring at him, "That doesn't include the reports we got from other agents indicating he had possibly switched sides…you'd better just make it clear to him that he'd better watch his step."

Duo nodded. "Yes sir. But I've known him for a long time – he's a good man. And he's the one that should know the most about the players in this case. I think we should at least hear him out."

"I'll pull the offer off the table temporarily. I'm sure I can think of some excuse. Other than that, I can't promise anything. We can keep Marquise in lock-up over the weekend, but after that we either have to tell the police to charge him or let him go. Yuy had better make his case quickly – and it'd better be good."

"I'll tell him."

"Good. Now get out of my sight," Treize barked and turned to go back into the conference room.

Just before he opened the door, he plastered on a fake smile for the lawyers' benefit, "Gentlemen…"

Duo shook his head and walked away.

Treize sighed as he gazed at the report on his desk, not able to read the words – just staring blankly at it, lost in thought. This case was taking its toll on all involved. He and Zeches had known each other a long time. They had met in basic training, and served the same tour in the last war. He used to be a friend, someone Treize could depend on for anything - he hated thinking of what the man had become.

He heard a noise coming from outside his office, strange at this hour of the evening; everyone should have gone home by now. He looked up when the door opened and stood in surprise. "Yuy! What are you doing out of the hospital?"

The young man's complexion was an unhealthy shade of white, and there were dark circles under his eyes. "I'm fine," he snapped, while walking into the room and taking a seat in front of his superior.

"You're crazy. You should be resting."

"Perhaps. But not when there is still work to be done. You can't let Zeches walk."

"Look, if this is some crazy vendetta you have against Marquise, then I have no interest in hearing what you have to say."

"Oh, I'd love to have my revenge on him someday, but I never will. I won't hurt Relena that way."

Treize flinched with those words, remembering that he had been the one to slip and tell the Governor about Yuy's assignment. "I don't guess I understand the full extent of his involvement in all this. And I fail to see why I should offer a deal to Trowa Barton."

"That's why I came to explain it to you."

Relena sighed and kicked off her shoes before collapsing on the hotel bed in exhaustion. She hugged her knees to her chest and tried to block out the flood of memories that threatened. She had felt more alive these last few days than she had ever remembered feeling in her entire life – except for those few months that happened ten long years ago. But he was rejecting her. She didn't think she could stand going through the pain again, and yet the part of herself she had found within wasn't ready to die without a fight.

"It's my life," she told herself and sat up. Relena climbed out of the bed and crossed the room to look in the mirror at her reflection. "Who are you? Do you even know, anymore?" She asked the image. It stared back in silence. No words of wisdom flowed from its full red lips. No looks of comfort or sympathy were bestowed from its heartbroken blue eyes. She was empty, alone, spent. But somewhere deep inside she could feel what was left of her passionate heart and soul screaming to get out of the empty shell she was gazing at in the glass. No, she wasn't dead yet. She just had to figure out how to live again, on her own.

"Flight 209 to Dallas Fort Worth is now boarding gate 6," the feminine voice announced over the noise of the crowd. Two men looked at each other, then around at all the people milling about.

Something, or rather someone, caught Heero's eye. "There she is," he said, slapping Duo's shoulder and pointing at the blond girl near the window.

Duo sighed. "Let's go."

Relena looked out the window as she waited in line to board her flight. Her face was sad – she didn't want to leave, and yet she couldn't stay. She needed to think about what she was going to do with her life. She had to get away, from her father, her brother, Heero…

She was startled out of her reverie by a tap on the shoulder. "Excuse me miss, we're with the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigations. We need to ask you a few questions."

She turned wide-eyed to come face-to-face with Duo and Heero. She gasped in surprise. "What are you doing out of the hospital?" She asked Heero with concern.

"Miss Darlian, we're here to escort you to headquarters." Duo said solemnly.

"I have a flight…."

Heero grabbed her left arm roughly, "It's been cancelled." He said and started to pull her toward the exit. Duo kept up with their pace, remaining on Relena's right side as they walked to the waiting car.

"What's going on?" She asked once they had left airport property.

Duo turned around in the passenger's seat. "How 'ya been, Relena?" he asked with a smile.

"Okay, I guess. Where are we going?" she asked, confusion still written on her face.

"We're taking you to police headquarters. You have questions to answer about your relationship with Trowa Barton." Heero said in his usual monotone.

Relena ignored him. "Duo, should he be driving? I thought he wasn't supposed to be out of the hospital for another week."

Duo grinned. "Yeah, well, after I drove over here, he decided it would be safer if he drove. I told him that old lady jumped out in front of me, but he wouldn't listen. And as for the hospital thing, well, he just left. He's too stubborn to die, I guess."

Heero stopped glaring at Relena in the rearview mirror long enough to glower at his friend. He didn't like the fact that they were talking about him like he wasn't there. And he was really upset they had caught her trying to leave without at least telling him good-bye - especially since she had promised him that day in the hospital that they would talk. In his mind, she had some explaining to do.


	19. Don’t lie to me, Relena

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 19

They arrived at headquarters, and Duo helped Relena out of the backseat of the car. The two young men accompanied her into the building, leading her through a maze of corridors until they had arrived outside an oak-colored door marked "interrogation". Trowa was already there, sitting down in a chair outside the room, flanked by his own two FBI agents. He still looked sickly pale despite being dressed in his usual three-piece suit. The navy-blue jacket hung loosely off his left shoulder, while his arm rested over his heart, supported by a dark blue cotton sling.

Trowa saw Relena and smiled slightly. Heero glared at him, but quickly masked his expression, trying to keep focused on his job. "This way, Miss Darlian," he said coldly, opening the door for her and indicating she should step into the interrogation room. She quietly obeyed and sat down with her back to the door.

Relena looked around her; it was like something out of the movies. A large two-way mirror hung on the wall to her left; otherwise the room was empty save for the four chairs and small table. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She didn't have anything to worry about – she hadn't done anything wrong. But the cold way Heero was acting still unnerved her.

Heero led Trowa to another room down the short hallway. He shut the door and turned to his friend. "They're going to offer you a deal. You need to take it. That's all I can do for you."

Trowa regarded him thoughtfully. "You know I can't do that."

"I'm repaying my debt, Trowa, if you won't take it, then it's your own problem, but leave me out of it, understand?" Heero said flatly.

A faint smile appeared on Trowa's lips. "I understand, Heero. You know I am a man of my word. I'll never tell them about your activities with the organization."

Relief washed over him, and the tension in his shoulders dissipated. "Trowa, take the deal. You're a dead man, otherwise. Zeches will kill you."

"To cover up his part in the assassination, no doubt. You told Treize that Zeches was the one to order the hit, I take it?" Trowa asked.

"Yeah. That's why they're willing to deal with you instead of him."

Trowa shook his head, "I can't take the offer. I'm a dead man either way, I'm afraid."

"No you're not, Trowa! The government can protect you – give you a new name, new life, everything you need to start over."

Trowa bowed his head and stared at the ground. "I'm already a dead man. A living, breathing, walking corpse," he said quietly.

"Just think about it," Heero said firmly, trying to ignore the feelings Trowa's words stirred as they struck a familiar chord with his heart.

Treize was just leaving the interrogation room where he had spent the last several hours with Darlian and his numerous attorneys. The Governor would testify, but he was in too deep to escape scot-free. His political career would soon be over, as he was going to have to resign his position. Treize didn't care; the Lieutenant Governor Quatre Raberba Winner was, by all accounts, a good man.

Overall, the questioning had gone well so far, Treize had obtained crucial evidence on several key political figures, and found new leads for his people to investigate. He went into the observation room to watch Duo question the Governor's daughter. It looked like there would be no surprises with her. She didn't seem to know anything except what Yuy and her father had told her.

He rubbed his temples. It was still early, and he had been up late discussing the case with Yuy the night before. He needed his morning cup of coffee desperately. Treize put the file on the Governor down on the table and went in search of his daily dose of caffeine.

Dorothy cast a questioning glance over at her attorney sitting across the table. "Full immunity?" She asked.

"Full immunity. My advice is to sign it and agree to testify. Otherwise, they have the testimony of the Governor as to your involvement. If convicted you could face up to fifteen years in prison," her attorney stated, matter-of-factly.

Dorothy sighed. "Forgive me Zeches, but my neck comes before yours, my love. I'm sure you'd do the same," she said to herself, and signed the papers.

The attorney handed the papers over to the FBI agent standing near the door. "Please tell Special Agent-in-Charge Khrushrenada that Miss Catalonia is ready to give her testimony."

The agent nodded, took the papers and went in search of Treize. Dorothy sat back and waited to tell her part of the story.

Zeches paced nervously about the room. He had spent the weekend in prison – they wouldn't let him stay in jail, since the jailors were still his own men. The department was going to make the announcement later that day that he was being suspended pending further investigation into the charges filed in this case.

The cause of his nervousness wasn't the time he spent in prison, but rather the fact that Treize had taken the offer of conditional immunity off the table. He said it was likely to be temporary, but that nagging feeling that something had gone horribly wrong just would not be vanquished within his heart. He and Treize had known each other a long time – they had been through war together, covered each other's backs in desperate situations facing down death and deadly enemies. Certainly he would give him the benefit of the doubt….

Trowa sat quietly and waited for his turn. He didn't have to wait long. Treize came in with two cups of coffee, and offered him one. Trowa accepted it and set it on the table in front of him. He looked at Treize expectantly.

"I need you to tell me about the extent of Zeches' involvement with the Barton Foundation. How did he tie into the 'grand scheme' of things, and what were his roles and responsibilities."

Trowa bowed his head, and hid his eyes behind his hair. "What's in it for me?"

Treize smiled. "I can offer you full immunity."

"I'd need protection. I would instantly become a marked man." His voice was quiet.

"We can relocate you, give you a new identity. No one would know where you were, or if you even still existed."

"I'll think about it."

"What?"

"I said I would take it under advisement. I haven't decided what I should do," Trowa said calmly.

"Did you want to consult with an attorney?"

"This doesn't have to do with your code of law. No, I do not wish to speak with an attorney."

"Fine, I'll leave you then. Once you've made your decision, let one of my agents outside know, and then we'll either record your testimony or arrange transport for you to be taken to the penitentiary." Treize got up to leave the room.

"Special Agent Krushrenada," Trowa called out, stopping Treize in his tracks.

"Yes, Mr. Barton?" Treize replied coldly and turned to face Trowa again.

"This protection, would it extend to anyone else? If there was someone I wanted to take with me, would your agency relocate her, too?" Trowa asked. His voice was quiet, but firm and patiently toneless as always.

"The protection extends to certain members of your immediate family. We will not relocate girlfriends; however a wife, a sister, a mother would be acceptable as long as they are willing," Treize replied in confusion.

"Thank you. I will take that under advisement."

Dorothy smiled at Treize nervously. "What do you want to know?"

"What was your part in all this?" he asked, glancing quickly at the tape recorder on the table as he spoke.

"Well, I guess you could say I was in charge of communication."

"Please explain."

"I sent messages back and forth between Zeches, the Governor, and Trowa Barton."

"What kind of messages?"

"Oh, anything that needed to be communicated, I guess," Dorothy replied vaguely. She wasn't sure how to explain it.

"Do you have copies of your communications?"

Dorothy laughed.

"What's so funny? How did you send these messages? We found no records on phone or computer."

Dorothy smiled. "Of course not. That's because Relena carried them in person."

Heero stepped into the observation area that looked in on the room where Relena and Duo were talking. The little space hidden behind the two-way mirror was empty except for a file folder resting on a small table. Heero picked it up; it was the department's file on the Governor. Curious, he began to flip through it, when some photographs spilled out onto the concrete floor. He crouched down to pick them up, and froze when he saw the images leaping off the photographic paper, taunting his brain with jealousy and fueling a newly-realized fury in his heart.

Relena smiled warmly at Duo. "He has a talent," she thought as she realized that the nervousness she had felt at first was now completely gone. She had answered all his questions honestly and accurately, but was amazed that he had managed to make the unpleasant ordeal seem more like a friendly conversation.

The things Duo told her about what was going on saddened her. As angry as she was at her father and brother, it was difficult for her to believe that they had done what they were being accused of. But it was even tougher to agree to testify against them. Duo had just dropped that bombshell on her when the door swung open, and was then loudly slammed shut.

Duo and Relena looked up in surprise to see Heero. His face was an angry crimson color, his eyes blazing in undisguised fury. He threw a file folder on the table, the contents spilling out in a small wave of paper and colorful photographs. Relena stared at him in shock. She had never seen him this way. She stood up from her chair, "Heero?" she questioned softly.

"You lied to me," he charged in a voice that wavered between anger and warning. "What part did you play in all this, Relena?" he demanded, advancing toward her.

"I..I don't know what part I played, Heero, I've been trying to figure that out myself." She said quietly, confused by what could have made him so angry with her.

"Don't lie to me. You and Trowa were setting me up, weren't you?" He sneered, taking another step in her direction.

"What?" she cried out and stepped back, fear gripping her heart.

Duo noticed the photographs on the table and felt a sense of dread come over him. "Heero, you don't understand, let's go talk outside, okay, buddy?" He said nervously.

"Shut up Duo." He reached out and grabbed Relena by the arms, ignoring the pain it caused in his still unhealed wounds. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" He shouted, shaking her violently.

"Stop! You're hurting me!" Relena cried out.

Heero heard her cry, and stopped. He released her and turned away. His shoulder was throbbing and so was his head. He drew in a shaky breath and ran his hand through his unruly hair.

"Heero, tell me what's wrong," Relena pleaded with him.

Duo had been shoving the contents back into the folder. "Heero, we need to talk outside," he said sternly.

"What's wrong? I'll show you what's wrong!" Heero yelled. He turned around and grabbed the folder from Duo, ripping the photographs out from amongst the pages and throwing them at her.

Relena watched the pictures flutter to the ground before bending to pick them up.

Duo's hand came up and slammed against his forehead. "Heero, just listen to me…."

"Shut up Duo. She's got more to do with this than she's been letting on," he said harshly before turning his attention to the girl scooping up the shameful photographs he had thrown at her a moment earlier. She had tears rolling down her face as she gathered them to her chest. "You either tell us the truth now, or I'll have you arrested for obstruction of justice, do you understand me?" He screamed at her.

Just then, Treize threw open the door, "That's enough! Yuy, get out here, now!"

Duo bent down and put his hand on Relena's shoulder. She was shaking. "Relena…."

She pulled away from him, still holding the pictures close to her body. But he had already seen them. He had seen them the day they had shown them to the Governor. The old man had the same murderous look on his face that he had seen on Heero's face just now. But what could he say to her?

Tears still glittered in her eyes as she squared her shoulders and looked him proudly in the eyes. "You'll have to talk to my attorney if you have anything further to discuss with me," she said coldly before exiting the room.

In the hallway, Heero and Treize were still having a heated discussion. Relena didn't care what they were saying; she grabbed Heero's good shoulder and spun him around to face her. Before he could react, her open hand connected with his face with enough force that his head jerked violently to his right. Her blue eyes glowed fiercely, "You're disgusting! Did you get some kind of perverse pleasure out of this?" she yelled, holding up the stack of photographs before throwing them back at him. He looked surprised. Her slap had hurt, and he reached up to touch his cheek.

"You can't turn this around on me – you're the one walking away. You're the one that lied, not me. You could at least grow up and face it, instead of ….of this slander!"

"What?" he cried out incredulously. "You still deny it? Well, I have news for you - photographs don't lie, sweetheart!"

"Actually," came Duo's voice from the doorway.

Relena didn't hear him; furious, she turned and stalked down the hallway towards the door.

"Uhn!" Heero yelled and punched the wall. The plaster gave away, little chunks flying everywhere.

"Heero," Treize said, his voice sounding strangely compassionate. Heero turned to look at him. "I don't know how to tell you this, but…."

Heero's face was dark with anger, "Just spit it out Treize, I know I was out of line."

"That's not what I was going to say." Treize took a deep breath. "Those photos were doctored. We used surveillance pictures of Trowa with another girl and super-imposed Relena's head on her body. If she told you she never slept with Trowa, then I'd say she wasn't lying. We followed the two around for months, hoping to get a shot of them doing something intimate enough to get under the Governor's skin, but they never did."

A wave of nausea swept through him as Heero shut his eyes and leaned back against the wall. His wound was on fire, the activities of the morning had jarred and irritated the delicate work performed by the hospital surgeons, prying apart fragile stitches and freeing fresh blood from his deep, near-fatal wounds. He started to feel dizzy and Treize's voice seemed to fade, like he was getting farther away. Suddenly all the energy left his body, and he slumped to the ground. He welcomed the darkness that overtook him.


	20. Please tell us how you managed to get Re...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 20

Relena sat on the shore, wriggling her toes into the wet sand as she hugged her knees to her chest and stared out at the sun setting over the horizon. "How did I lose everything so quickly?" she asked herself, thinking of the events of the last few weeks. She had quit school, lost her boyfriend, and lost her first love…again. Not to mention the fact that her father was losing his political career and her brother was going to prison. She felt sad for a moment, and then her anger took over as she remembered earlier events from that day. "He's such a coward! He couldn't even tell me he was just using me…"

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the figure that sat down beside her, getting wet sand all over his good suit.

"Hey, hey pretty lady. What's a beautiful girl like you doing out here all by yourself?" Duo asked with a grin.

Relena wasn't fooled by his smile; she saw the sadness behind his eyes. "I just came out here to think." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "What are you doing out here?"

He ran his hand through his bangs, and down the smooth texture of his long braid - it was a nervous habit. "I was looking for you."

"Oh," she said and laid her forehead on her knees.

They fell into an awkward silence as Duo tried to figure out the best approach to the situation. His friend needed her - no matter what he said - and Duo was determined not to repeat his own past mistake. "Relena, we had to take Heero back to the hospital."

"What?" She exclaimed, straightening up and turning her full attention to Duo. "Is he all right?"

Duo could see the worry in her eyes, and felt somewhat relieved. "He'll be okay - he exacerbated his wounds, and needs more bed rest. I told him to stay put the first time, but he never listens, does he? He's just so damn stubborn!" Duo pounded his fist into his hand in a rare display of anger that only bespoke the concern he felt for his friend.

Relena smiled faintly. "Yes, he is," she said quietly. "I'm glad he's going to be okay, Duo. Is there something else you wanted to say to me?"

"Relena, I don't know what you think about those pictures, but they were faked."

Her eyes narrowed angrily.

"I know, I know - but Heero didn't forge them, it was Treize. He did them a while ago to show to your father. He was supposed to get rid of them, but somehow…I don't know. No one else was ever meant to see them, Relena, I'm really sorry."

Relena put her hands up to the sides of her face and began to rub her temples. Her eyes were closed, and her eyebrows furrowed. "You showed those horrible, indecent, shameful invented things to my father?" Her pulse had quickened with anger, and something else she wasn't sure of.

_"I didn't pay all that money for you to go to law school so that you could become some mobster's harlot!"_

Her eyes opened, revealing the anguish she felt inside. "How could you?" She cried.

"Relena, wait a second. You're missing the bigger picture - Treize told Heero what he had done, and he's not mad anymore. He's sorry. He's really, really sorry and wants to talk to you. Please Relena, he loves you - don't you understand? He believed those pictures were real, and he became horribly jealous. That's what it was all about. Please, go see him."

Relena shook her head, and started to get up. "No, Duo. I'm tired. All you people seem to be able to do is use me. I don't even know who I am anymore. I have nothing left to give," she said coldly and walked away.

Duo sighed as he watched her retreating form. "And its only going to get worse," he said and shook his head sadly.

The tape recorder played in Heero's hospital room. Treize sat in a chair by the door; Duo had taken a position near the window. A female voice was talking steadily into the microphone, occasionally interrupted by Treize as he asked Dorothy another question.

_"What's so funny? How did you send these messages? We found no records on phone or computer," Treize spoke from the small black device on the tabletop._

_ "Of course not. That's because Relena carried them in person," Dorothy replied._

_ "What do you mean? Are you saying Relena was involved?"_

_ "Well, she was involved, whether she liked it or not, but to be fair, she didn't know she was carrying the messages."_

_ "Please explain," Treize commanded._

_ "Gladly. See, first, Zechs and I had to get Relena and Trowa together. The agreement, to my understanding, was that Trowa was allowed to date Relena, but it didn't have to be exclusive. However, Zechs strictly forbade Trowa from laying a hand on his sister. Dating was fine, but not sleeping together. At first, it didn't seem to be a problem, but then we could tell Relena was getting to him. Eventually, we found out from the Governor that Trowa broke his word, and well, you know…gave into temptation."_

"Stop," Heero said from his place on the bed. "You realize you caused this whole disaster by doctoring those photographs, right, Treize?" Heero spat at his superior.

Treize sighed. "Yes, Yuy. I'm well aware that you are terminally pissed at me for ruining things with your girlfriend. I'm sorry. But, I also know that she has to be a very forgiving person to be with you in the first place, so I'm sure she'll come around eventually. Can we get on with this?"

Heero glared, un-amused at Treize's dry comment, and he silently promised himself he'd get revenge - once those doctors let him out of this place. "Fine," he growled.

Treize pressed the play button on the tape recorder and, once again, Dorothy's voice filled the room

_"Zechs was incensed by this…." _

Treize interrupted her. "We're aware of this part of it, Miss Catalonia. Please tell us how you managed to get Relena to unwittingly carry messages back and forth between Barton and Chief Marquise."

_ "Well, that was where I came in. I befriended the poor dear before she was set up with Trowa, so that I could build her trust in me. I've always had a certain flair for fashion, and I was finally able to put it to good use. We sent signals via Relena's wardrobe."_

_ "Excuse me? I don't understand."_

_ "It was easy, a certain color ribbon was easily coerced into her hair, or I'd suggest the purple dress instead of the green one - at the last minute, depending on the message we were sending."_

_ "You're kidding."_

_ "No. It was quite clever of us, actually - you had no evidence, no record of a relationship. That is until Darlian crumbled under the pressure."_

_ "How did Trowa send messages back?"_

_ "Oh, that was easy enough. Relena would tell me all about her dates with Trowa. I just got her into the habit of telling me about what he wore. His response could be the color of a tie, the cut of a suit, or even wearing a hat. It was simple, yet it worked so well, don't you think?"_

Treize stopped the tape recorder and looked across the room at Duo.

"Man, her own brother. And Trowa. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel sorry for the poor girl?" Duo asked, shaking his head; then he glanced over at the figure lying on the bed. Heero lay there with his eyes closed, presumably lost in thought.

Duo turned back to the window. He heard Relena's voice echoing in his ears. "_All you people seem to be able to do is use me."_ His train of thought was derailed, however, by the sound of light snoring coming from the room behind him. He turned around to see that Heero was fast asleep.

Outside in the hallway, Duo glared at Treize. "You didn't even tell him the worst part!"

Treize winced. "I know. But what could I do? He's already pissed about the photographs, and the doctors said he needs to rest."

"Yeah, but he deserves to know."

"Oh, so you want me to go in there and tell him so the surgeons can accuse me of upsetting their patient? The way he acted today, this could send him into cardiac arrest!"

"I don't know…"

"Besides, it could all amount to nothing, and then he'd be upset for no reason. I think we should talk to her first."

"Don't you mean I should talk to her first? Since she won't talk to you anymore."

"Yeah, but you can't influence her decision, Maxwell. I won't allow it. No matter what you think is best for your friend in there, this is her decision, not his. You just keep that in mind," Treize warned.

Duo put on his most innocent face. "Whatever you say, boss."

AN: Hey everyone! Someone asked me how long DG is going to be. And for a while I was going to have to answer a MILLION chapters… Sometimes I wondered if I would ever find an end! lol But in reality, it worked out to be 24 chapters and an epilogue. I'm still waffling between which ending to use…. (Yes, I wrote 2…sobs ) Thank you guys for your continued patience and support! Much love, Rose


	21. I don't believe in anything anymore

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 21

A knock sounded on the door to her hotel room. She groaned and sat up in bed. "I need to get an apartment soon," she grumbled as she padded over to the door.

Relena looked through the peephole to see…"Heero! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the hospital!"

"I need to talk to you Relena," He shouted through the door, loud enough for the whole floor to hear.

"If you're on official business, I've already told you people to talk to my attorney!" She said firmly, trying to ignore the way her heartbeat had sped up at the sight of him.

"Relena, it's more personal. Let me in," he growled.

"I don't have anything to say to you or the Bureau, Heero. It's late, and I'd rather you just leave." Her heart cried out against the words, but she forced those feelings aside. "He doesn't care," she told herself.

"I can't do that, Relena. Open this door," he said, his voice sounding grimly determined.

"I told you that all FBI business should be taken up with my lawyer," she said defiantly and turned away.

Frustrated, Heero pulled something out of his jacket pocket and kneeled down. Relena thought that he had taken the hint, and left. Slowly, she started to walk back to her bed, when she heard a shuffling noise coming from the floor. She turned and looked down; a small white envelope with her name written in a familiar scrawl caught her eye. Curious, she bent down and picked it up, turning the packet over in her hand before opening it.

_Dear Relena,_

_I've always been a man of very few words, but despite our differences in the most recent past, I love you with all the heart I never had to give…_

Relena swung the door open, and Heero stood up and moved forward, taking in the sight before him. Relena stood there in pale pink pajamas with tears welling in her eyes, threatening to fall down pallid cheeks. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she choked back a sob. The look of pain on her face was unmistakable, and he moved to take the woman that would always be that sixteen year-old girl to his heart into his arms in a gesture of comfort. But she turned away.

"Relena…" He said, struggling to keep his voice even while his mind reeled from her rejection.

"Why? Why this? Why me? Why everything? I don't understand what I've done to have all this thrown onto my shoulders. I can't handle this, too. I just can't." She said, gaining control of her emotions and turning back to face him.

"Relena, I can't answer that, but I do need an answer to take back to Treize," Heero said flatly.

"Yeah, and I'm sure I know what you want me to say," she said bitterly.

"No, I don't think you do," he replied seriously. Something flickered in his eyes for a moment, but it passed quickly.

"Oh as if you care. You've certainly never said as much in all the time I've known you…" Her voice had taken on an angry tone, but then it softened wistfully, "or thought I knew you…"

"I'm not allowed to say anything to sway your decision, Relena. If Treize were to find out I said anything for or against you marrying Trowa - at this point, I'd probably be suspended. But I do care Relena..." _I've always loved you._ He wanted to say the words, but they wouldn't come.

"I could start over - a whole new life…" She said softly, her face set in a thoughtful expression.

"Relena," Heero's voice held only a hint of warning, despite the fact his duty and his emotions clashed in an intense internal battle. "You know that's no reason to marry someone. It won't make you happy."

"And nothing about my life has ever made me happy, Heero. Everyone's always thought my life was so perfect - the daughter of a wealthy politician. And look at me!" she shouted. "Look at this mess! You people want me to testify against my brother, when he and my father are the only ones who have ever cared for me. You, your FBI - what have you done but use me to get to the people that love me?"

Heero hated himself for what he was about to say, but she had the right to know. He couldn't look her in the eyes; instead he focused on the stained and tattered carpet of the insipid hotel room. "I know this will probably make you hate me, Relena…but your brother and Trowa were using you, too."

Relena gasped and turned pale. "What? No, you're lying! What is that you want from me, now, Heero?"

"Listen to me!" he shouted and glared at her. "Zechs and Dorothy set you up with Trowa to send signals back and forth that were untraceable. Your father even approved until he saw those pictures that Treize doctored, and thought that Trowa had double-crossed Zeches. You were their pawn all along, Relena. They don't deserve your protection!"

"No!" she yelled, shaking her head, and refusing to let the words sink into her heart. "I don't believe you. You're lying." She said softly, trying to keep her tears at bay. His eyes glittered with sincerity, but she knew better than to trust her supposed instincts anymore. It was the same feeling in the pit of her stomach that had deceived her the night she spent with him… Anger flared and hardened her resolve.

"Get out." She said firmly, her light blue eyes glaring up at him.

He knew he had stretched what was left of his credibility too thin. She didn't believe that he cared, and he couldn't find the words to make her understand. He had spent the last ten years pushing away his emotions – not wanting to feel the heartbreak of having to leave the only two people who had ever cared about him, his brother and his…Relena. But Duo had been right; he was making the same mistake all over again – letting her father decide what was best for her regardless of their feelings for one another. It may cost him his job, but he couldn't just walk away. "I'm not leaving until you tell me you're not going to marry him."

"Get out!" she yelled.

Heero crossed his arms defiantly. Relena took a step forward, and pushed him backward towards the door. He caught himself, but she kept shoving, her anger fueling her strength. "Relena," he said trying to steady himself as her fists pummeled into the tender wounds on his chest.

"Get out!"

"Not until I hear what I came for!"

"And what was that, Heero? What did you want me to say?"

"Say you won't marry him. I don't care if that's the only way he'll take the deal, we'll find a way to prosecute Zechs and Quinze without him!" His blue eyes were a mixture of pain and fury, just like his voice. "I don't want…" he started to yell, then softened as he looked at her, truly saw her and her strength for what it was, and had always admired. "I won't lose you."

Pain, like a knife stabbing her heart seared her chest. But she pushed it away ruthlessly. "Perhaps that would have meant something before, but I can't believe you now. I don't believe in anything anymore. Now, get out."

Duo groaned and sat up. He was in a hospital bed, again. Why was his head pounding like that? He wiped a hand over his face and tried to concentrate. Suddenly, it all came rushing back to him.

_ Duo started to drive over to Relena's hotel, but his conscience was nagging him the whole way over there. Before he knocked on her door, he lost his nerve and went back to the hospital. More internal debate ensued, but he finally gathered the courage to tell Heero about the situation._

_ "He's threatening not to take the deal unless she agrees to go with him, which means marriage – you know the rules."_

_ Heero closed his eyes tightly, little wrinkles forming at the corners from the muscle contraction. Duo was sympathetic, but continued._

_ "Treize is pissed. He's blaming you, of course, for suggesting he offer the deal to Trowa. But he agreed that we should inform her in a very neutral manner." He reached into his pocket and produced an envelope with Relena's name written in Trowa's even handwriting. "This is Trowa's explanation – my instructions were to deliver it and bring back an answer."_

_ "So what does that have to do with me?" Heero asked, his face deathly pale – his expression stricken._

_ "Oh come on!" Duo yelled, suddenly very angry. "You can lie to everyone else, Heero, even yourself, but not me. I was there that day – the day she saved you from yourself, and the day you let her go! I vowed to never step aside again, and I'm keeping that promise. You may never get another chance!" Violet eyes danced with a blazing fury directed solely at his friend's cold behavior. "You know you don't want her to walk out of your life forever. Come with me."_

_ "No, Duo. It's not appropriate…If Treize found out you let me go with you, we'd both be in trouble. You've stuck your neck out too far for me already. Besides," he said flatly, waving an arm at the room around them, "the doctors won't release me."_

_ Duo had to turn away from the calm expression on his friend's face. He was going to be sick – the stupid fool was going to lose the only woman that would ever put up with his moody, insensitive, emotionally scarred bullshit. "Well, I'm still going to try…" he said to himself and started to walk to the door. But he blacked out before he ever opened it._

"Why?" Duo wondered, and ran his hand through his bangs and continued the movement to the back of his head. "Ow!" He exclaimed as his fingers raked over a large bump on his skull. "Oh, gee Heero…" he laughed. "Son of a bitch hit me over the head to take his place in here while he went to see her," he mused. "Smart guy," he smirked, "but payback is gonna be hell." He placed his hands behind his head, and fell back into the pillows. Grabbing up the remote, Duo flicked through some channels before deciding on Monday Night Football. He looked over at the buttons on the side of his bed and grinned. "Oh, nursy…I think it's time for my sponge bath," He chuckled for a moment then sobered. "I hope you're pouring your heart out to her right now, Heero – unlikely, I know – but for once in your life, I hope you're getting it right." He sighed and went back to watching the football game.


	22. He doesn't care, Trowa

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 22

"Zechs," Relena greeted her older brother curtly as she stepped into the small interrogation room at police headquarters the next morning. He was wearing a prison uniform, his long blond hair looking slightly dirty and pulled uncharacteristically away from his face. The dirt on his suit and grease in his hair reminded her of the stains he wore on his hands and soul.

"Relena," he responded with a guarded expression. She turned to her attorney and the guards at the door, dismissing them from the room. She then focused her full attention to her fallen brother.

"How dare you!" She started as soon as the others had left. He looked surprised at her angry expression, fire illuminating her eyes despite the lack of light in the cold dank room that chilled them both. "You and father think you can just manipulate my life like I'm some damned marionette on a string! Now you're going to tell me why."

By the determined way her jaw was clenched, he knew that she meant business, and for some unknown reason, he'd always been a little nervous when his sister became angry. He never really understood why - he'd served three tours of active service in the most elite fighting force on earth, and faced down death more times than he could count. But here he sat, Zeches Marquise, afraid of a twenty-six year old woman that was so gentle and forgiving towards everyone she'd ever met. And perhaps that was the key to his fear - he was afraid he'd lose her love, and her forgiveness. That never again would she look at him with the love and admiration she had always held for him since she was a child. He shook his head and tried to focus on her question.

"Why?" His usual deep baritone sounded slightly raspy as he formed the word.

"Yes, why, Zeches? Why did you and father send Heero away? Why did you use me in your schemes - setting me up with Trowa to send your messages?"

"Is that all?" He asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

"No, I want to know why you did this - why you, of all people, would turn your back on the people you swore to protect for some lousy filthy money! And then, while you're at it, tell me what happened to my brother. Where did he go? Because the man sitting here before me is no one I know," Relena's voice quavered with emotion as she said the last sentence. She could see the hurt flash across his face for a moment before he gained control. Unable to withstand her gaze, he got up and walked to the other side of the room.

"Relena, I have no excuses for my behavior, and don't expect you to understand my motivations. I did what I had to, and that's all you need to know," Zeches began unwisely. He had turned his back to her and shut out the world with his inner reflections on his past. It turned out to be a mistake.

She grabbed his shoulders, and whirled him around, catching him off guard. "That's not good enough!" She yelled, shaking him. He easily broke away from her weaker form, but her actions unnerved him.

"Fine! You want to know why we sent Yuy away? We got rid of him so that he wouldn't drag you down, Relena. We wanted better for you than a worthless, no-good street punk…." The rest of his sentence was cut off by the impact of her hand against his cheek.

"You had no right, Zeches. And you could have at least told me. Would you have let me go my entire life and then to my grave letting me think he never cared for me?"

"Yes. I would have," he said firmly, but still unable to meet those angry blue eyes.

Relena pursed her lips together to contain her fury. "Fine. Next question - Trowa Barton," she pressed him.

"I don't even want to know what you two have been up to," Treize railed at his two subordinate agents later that same morning. "I got a phone call at 6:30 am from the Darlian girl's attorney. Six thirty. What the fuck those people were doing up at that ungodly hour of the day, I have no idea. I don't want to know. But they demanded to see Zeches immediately. She's been in there for an hour, now…."

Duo grinned sheepishly at his boss, "No coffee this morning, Treize?"

"No, some idiot janitor broke the damn pot, and I won't drink that vending machine crap! I've got a headache - and you two…."

"What are they talking about in there?" Heero asked in his usual monotone.

"How the hell should I know? It was part of the agreement that we would allow a private meeting between brother and sister," Treize sneered.

Heero glanced at Duo, who nodded slightly then slung an arm casually over Treize's shoulder. "What do you say I take you over to Starbucks and treat you to the biggest mochaccino on the planet? Plenty of caffeine!" He said with a smile.

Treize glared at the arm on his shoulder, then at Duo. "You're mocking me."

Duo looked innocent, "No! I'm not. I think you've been working too hard, and deserve a good cup of joe."

Treize's suspicious glare went undaunted. "I don't trust your motives, Maxwell, but frankly, I don't care. I need some damn caffeine, so let's go. Your car or mine?"

Duo grinned. "I'll drive."

"Yuy, I trust you can handle things here," Treize tossed over his shoulder as the two left the building.

As soon as the others were out of sight, Heero burst into the observation room to watch the meeting in progress. He was surprised by what he heard.

"Barton," Zeches sneered. "He's a dead man when I get out of here."

"It's your own damn fault, Zeches. You can't blame Trowa for your own mess," Relena said angrily.

Zeches eyes widened. "What? You're going to blame me, but not him? His thugs are the ones on the streets out there, Relena…"

"His thugs that you and Quinze pay. That you, despite your position, allowed to operate - selling drugs to children to fatten your own pockets! Trowa's as much a pawn in this game as I am."

"You believe those lies? Maybe you believe that Yuy's clean, too - that he didn't work for the organization. That he doesn't have blood on his hands…"

"Is that why you tried to kill him? Because you wanted to be the good guy?" She mocked him.

Zeches' face reddened with anger as he glared at the young woman he had so fondly watched grow up. "I don't answer to you," he snarled, crossing his arms and looking away.

They sat in heated silence for a moment, each trying to get their own tempers under control. Relena mastered hers first, the anger subsiding somewhat despite his harsh tone and demeanor. "Zeches, …how did you get mixed up in this? What happened to my brother that I was always so proud of? What happened to you?" Her voice took on an almost pleading tone.

Zeches met her eyes, taking in the pain he saw reflecting in her still-innocent cerulean orbs. Memories of her as a child sitting in his lap flashed quickly through his mind. His gruff demeanor finally cracked. "I don't know Relena. I have no excuses. I've had time to think since going to prison - that's really all I can do, now, is think. And I still don't have any answers." Zeches' deep voice reverberated in the small room.

Relena's stern gaze softened at her brother's words. "Why did you do it? How could you use me like that, Zeches?"

"I'm sorry, Relena, I shouldn't have. I never wanted to get you involved with Barton." Zeches said with real regret. "I wanted to keep you out of it, but I didn't have a choice."

"You had a choice, Zeches, and you made it. You cared more for yourself than you did for me or even what was right."

He flinched at her words, but remained silent for a moment. "I know what they're asking you to do. And I understand."

Relena frowned, "Zeches, I can't. I won't testify against you." She knew she could never turn in her blood relation. She could still see the brother who took care of her, listened to her, and loved her all these years in his eyes - once he had finally let his guard down. She wouldn't turn on him no matter how badly he hurt her.

Watching through the two-way mirror, Heero's eyes widened. "She forgives him? What? No, Relena, hate him!" He felt like banging on the glass, but thought better of it.

Zeches stared at his sister, not believing what he just heard. "But Relena…"

Relena smiled slightly and crossed the short distance separating the two. She wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace. "No matter what, you're my brother, Zeches. Just take care of yourself, please?"

Zeches' arms wrapped around her as he hugged his sister for what would probably be the last time. Her gesture not to testify against him was symbolic at best, her words were unnecessary to convict him, and he would do his best to make sure it stayed that way. It was the least he could do. He held her tightly for a moment before releasing her. "You take care, too," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

As Relena started to leave, he asked her where she was going. "I'm going to talk to Trowa," she replied softly.

Zeches' face darkened with a seething hatred. "Stay away from him, Relena."

A sad smile played on Relena's features. "Zeches, Treize doctored those pictures that everyone's so fond of. Ask him. I never slept with Trowa; he didn't double-cross you on that."

Zeches raised an eyebrow at his younger sister's statement. "What about Yuy?"

Heero's ears perked up at the mention of his name, and he looked over to where Relena was standing at the door. Her posture was one of defeat as she gazed at the floor, blond hair floating around her face, casting a golden glow about her underneath the dim florescent lighting in the room. She met her brother's gaze in a look of loss and started to say something that was lost to Heero's ears as Treize burst into the observation room with more veracious fury than he had for the shattered coffeepot.

"I love him, Zeches," she said softly and then exited the room.

"This was supposed to be a private conversation, Yuy, I could have you suspended for this!"

Heero looked his commander straight in the eye, angry with the man for drowning out Relena's words. "Do what you have to, but get out of my way – I need to talk to her."

He tried to walk passed Treize, but his superior reached out and grabbed his arm. "Yuy, you were the most promising agent that had ever come through the academy, but you've let your emotions for this girl get the best of you. Get it together, Yuy, this is an order, not a request."

Heero glared at him. "Don't worry, I will," he sneered and left the room.

Heero caught up with her in the hallway. "Relena," he called out.

She stopped and turned around to face him. "Agent Yuy," she addressed him formally.

His heart sank at her greeting. He stopped and stared at this woman that had always been so caring and concerned for his sake, but was now only cold and distant. And it was his own fault she was shutting him out. "Relena…."

She looked up at him; he appeared so hurt by her formality – the formality she needed to keep her heart at bay. There was something that she still needed to do, that she was doing for him – the only thing she could do for the man she loved. Save his job. She had to make sure that Trowa would take the deal and testify to send her brother and Quinze to jail for life. But she couldn't do what was necessary if he was going to look at her that way – the same way he looked at her ten years ago, pain and heartache clearly etched on his street-hardened features.

He stared at her a moment, trying to read what was behind her mask, but couldn't. "What did you decide?" He finally breathed.

She couldn't look at him and stay hardened to her resolve. In a huff designed to disguise her inner conflict, she turned away and left him standing in the hallway.

"Trowa," she greeted him as she sat down at the table facing him.

His face was expressionless as usual, thoughtfully considering her movements and motivations. "Relena, thank you for coming to see me," he returned her greeting pleasantly.

"Trowa, I never knew you felt this way. You know I care for you," she said softly, avoiding his intense emerald-hard gaze.

He watched her the same as he observed everyone else in his personal and professional life - quietly noting each delicate facial expression and telling gesture. He had become a master at reading people; even those that hid behind a mask like Heero, often gave telltale signs of their innermost thoughts and feelings. It was no trick; he was no magician, just a trained observer of his fellow man. And he could tell that she was uneasy, his letter to her not unwelcome, but the feelings avowed not fully reciprocated. She made no attempt to disguise her emotions, and so the tiny creases at the sides of her eyes expressed the concern she had for hurting him; the softness of her voice designed to show her pity, her remorse; the quiet pleading in her sapphire orbs requesting he make this easy on her, and her posture one of resolve. Her next words were somewhat surprising, yet not wholly unexpected.

"Yes, Trowa, I'll marry you," She said firmly.

That enigmatic smile crossed his face for a brief moment. "No, Relena, I will not marry a woman in love with another man. I think you'd agree that despite who and what I am, I deserve better than that. And so do you," he replied solemnly.

"But Trowa," she pleaded softly, pushing aside the slight stinging sensation that his refusal had brought upon her heart.

"Relena, it's obvious why you're here. And knowing Yuy like I do, he's probably climbing the walls right now trying to get in here and tear me limb from limb."

Relena shook her head. "He doesn't care, Trowa."

This did surprise the young man. He narrowed jade green eyes as he scrutinized her face, looking for signs of what she was truly feeling. She believed her last statement, which meant his friend was a fool. Maybe he should take her with him after all and teach Heero a lesson. "Relena, he does care for you - as much as you do for him."

"Trowa, I care for you, too. I'd make you happy and we could start a new life together. You love me, so take the deal and let's leave this place and all it's heartache."

The smile he had this time was genuine. She was such a beautiful creature with a heart purer than his had ever been. Her eyes could melt his icy heart and cause him to feel something in her presence that he had never known. He never wanted to let her down, never wanted to see disappointment in her eyes. He could not refuse anything that she deigned to ask of him, despite monetary or mortal cost alike. "Relena," he said softly.

Heero stood outside the door to the little room where Trowa and Relena were having their discussion. Another agent was blocking his entrance to the observation room, infuriating the young man who so desperately needed to know what was happening between the concealed pair. Consequences be damned, he was about to pull a gun and demand access to the guarded room when the door opened and Trowa's head peered out. He saw Yuy and smirked. "Tell Krushrenada I'll testify," he said quietly and shut the door. Heero lunged at him, but the guards caught their fellow agent, pushing him back against the wall opposite the door. One of the men radioed to Treize.

"Requesting assistance with handling Agent Yuy," he said into his mouthpiece.

Heero couldn't hear the reply.

"Yes sir, over," he said into the mouthpiece again. Then turned back to Agent Yuy, "He said to tell you to get your ass over to interrogation room one right now, and turn in your badge. You're taking a vacation."

They let him go, and Heero stood up from the wall they had pushed him against ignoring the pain that had ignited in his shoulder. "Fine," Heero said flatly, straightening the collar on his dress shirt, and shooting the guards a nasty glare. An all-too-familiar ache descended on his heart as he marched down the hallway to meet with Treize; he had a score to settle.


	23. We were closing in, Yuy

Chapter 23

Heero arrived at interrogation room one, and barged in without knocking. Treize was on his cell phone, and completely ignored his subordinate's entrance. "Yes Catherine, I need you to make arrangements ASAP for a Mr. and Mrs. Trowa Barton. Yes, that's right. No, he didn't, I mean, he doesn't, but they should be married before he goes…so, arrange that, too…Hey!" The last part of his sentence was directed at Heero, who had ripped the cell phone from his superior's hand and thrown it across the room.

"If you have something to settle with me, Treize, why don't you say it to my face, instead of all this behind-the-back bullshit!" Heero seethed through clenched teeth.

"You know, Yuy, you really should be grateful to me. I'm not bringing you up on charges in this case, or even officially reprimanding you. You're going to take a vacation; you've got the time saved up. And then, when you can pass a psych evaluation, I'll let you come back. Although I won't be sending you on another undercover assignment until I decide you're ready."

"Oh, like you decided I was ready last time? That's what this is all about, isn't it? You think I'm dirty."

A smile played on Treize's lips. "No, Yuy. I don't think that. I know what you were doing; I know what you were up to. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Heero glared at his superior.

"We had agents placed throughout the broader parts of the organization, and they would occasionally report in about your activities. It was always rumors and hearsay, of course. So, we decided to send in Maxwell. He was the one person you wouldn't suspect."

Heero ran a hand through his hair, and turned away from Treize.

"We were closing in, Yuy, on the whole 'Foundation'. You were just going to be swept along with the tide. But somehow, you managed to stay a step ahead of us, turning on Barton before we could snare you both."

"That's bullshit."

Treize smirked again. "The hotbed of your illegal activities along with all the evidence I suppose we would have needed, conveniently went up in smoke the other night. Who was it that planted that bomb, you or Trowa?"

"Do I need an attorney, Treize?" Heero spat with venom dripping from his voice.

His superior grinned. "Of course not. I already told you, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones," he said with a wave of the hand. "You were young, too green to be sent on this assignment. That was my mistake. But you did what you had to in order to stay alive. I shouldn't have expected different from someone who grew up on the streets."

Heero's face remained blank as he watched Treize through narrowed eyes.

"The end justifies the means in this case, and the result is that the Barton Foundation crumbles with Trowa Barton's testimony and I get a promotion."

"So, I'm on vacation?" Heero asked flatly.

"Yes. Take a couple of weeks, I'll write it off as due to the injuries you sustained while in the line of duty, and then, you can come back. No one need know we ever had this conversation."

"Fine, my vacation starts now."

Treize smiled.

"So, since I'm on vacation…You're a pompous ass, Treize!" Heero shouted angrily.

Treize smirked. "Now, now, Yuy. If you're not nice, I won't let you say goodbye to your girlfriend, since you're not on duty."

Heero's dark blue eyes glowed with hatred, but he stayed silent.

"By the way, when you do see her, a thank you probably wouldn't be out of line. Considering the fact that she is the reason behind the Bureau's and my own, ah.. policy of goodwill and tolerance towards your actions," Treize said mockingly.

"What did you say to her, Treize?" Heero snarled.

Treize's blue eyes sparkled with humor as he chuckled. "Just that if she didn't want to see you in prison, she'd make sure that Barton agreed to testify."

Heero lunged for the older man, knocking him backwards to the floor. Despite the obvious disadvantage he suffered as a result of his weakened state, Heero managed to land a few blows as the two struggled on the ground. But Treize knew how to play rough, despite his highly developed sense of justice. He grabbed Heero by the wounded shoulder and squeezed savagely. Pain flared in Heero's body like a raging fire out of control. It momentarily numbed his mind despite his efforts to push it aside and continue the fight. Treize used the precious few seconds to throw Heero off him, and reach for his gun. But the younger man recovered more quickly than he had anticipated, and Treize found himself on the wrong end of Yuy's nine-millimeter side arm.

In the small observation area looking in on interrogation room one, Duo watched the two men threaten and argue until their heart's content. But when they got to the topic of Relena, his eyes widened at his superior's obvious abuse of power. He secretly cheered his friend on during the short fistfight, but abruptly stopped when he saw Heero point the gun at Treize. He ran for the door to intervene, but halted at the sound of Treize's unaffected tone.

"Yuy, I'm seriously reconsidering my earlier statements about not charging you. Put the gun down while I'm still in a good mood," Treize cautioned.

Heero glared. "If I was really a criminal, Treize, I'd shoot you and leave without a trace." He said, relaxing the arm that held the gun, and re-engaging the safety mechanism before tucking it away. Pain danced on the perimeter of his sense of consciousness with every movement. "You should have left her out of this. She's already being torn in every possible direction. But your promotion is more important than a civilian's welfare, obviously. Otherwise you would never have attempted to send her into a potentially dangerous situation."

"We had the place surrounded, with our backup agents on full alert," Treize sputtered.

"You attempted to send a virtually defenseless civilian wearing a wire into a nest of violent criminals. You saw how quickly the situation went bad. I didn't even have time…."

"You endangered your own life as well as the lives of your fellow agents and Trowa Barton," Treize said in an accusing tone.

"But you overstepped your authority and put a civilian's life in danger, which is specifically against code. Not only in that instance, but what you're doing now. Regardless of how well we hide Trowa, he is making some very powerful enemies, by testifying. You pushed her to accept a situation that will put her life in danger!"

"You're just pissed that she's leaving you," Treize growled, refusing to acknowledge that Heero was right.

"I have every right to be," he replied quietly. "I guess it doesn't matter to you that I love her."

"Let me give you some advice, Yuy. Love doesn't really exist. It's purely a sentiment on greeting cards and found in sappy romance novels. It's a myth. I'm doing you a favor, Yuy, really. 'Cuz one day, she'll wake up and tell you that she doesn't know who she is anymore, and could you just give her some time to find herself? Then the next time you see her is nine months later, at the divorce proceedings and she's taking away your son."

Heero blinked. "You got divorced?"

Treize looked away, "Yeah, last summer, she hit me with it."

Heero nodded slowly. "No one has to know about our conversation?"

Treize shook his head. "We'll both be clear."

"Maybe you should take a vacation, too. I'm already enjoying mine so much," Heero replied wryly.

Treize snorted. "Get out of here. You need to rest. I'm sure I didn't do your shoulder any good."

Heero started towards the door, but stopped at the sound of Treize calling his name. He swiveled his head to look back at his superior.

"Yuy! If it's any consolation, I'm ..sorry."

Heero glared at him a moment. "It's not," he said harshly as he continued out into the hallway, slamming the door shut behind him.

Trowa sat down at the tiny wood veneer table across from the court reporter already cheerfully typing away on her stenograph machine. A sea of men in power suits stood politely when he entered the already crowded hotel room, but only two were on his side. The rest were attorneys for the defendants in the case, drawn here to hang on his every word and determine how much damage he would be causing their clients. Trowa felt slightly uneasy as the questions for his deposition began.

In the lobby of the same hotel, FBI agents kept watch and the place secure for their informant. Trowa Barton's cooperation was big news within the Bureau, and Special Agent in Charge Krushrenada was looking at a promotion for his role in cracking down on the well-known crime syndicate.

In the back parking lot, a white van waited for Trowa to finish recording his deposition before whisking him away to a safe house while the Bureau completed the arrangements for his new identity. Agent Catherine Bloom was his relocation specialist, and currently perched comfortably in the back of the van talking to one of the agents posted outside of the conference room where the deposition was taking place.

"You let me know as soon as Trowa is leaving the room. We'll swing around and pick him up at the side door, over," the redhead said into her walkie-talkie.

"Mr. Barton, please tell us what your role was within the Barton Foundation. Public record has you listed as the company's," Trowa's attorney, a tall distinguished-looking man in his early fifties named Julian Bagley stared at a piece of paper in his hand, "Vice President, is that correct?"

Trowa's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Yes, that is correct. However, my actual duties don't quite fit those of the typical VP, I'm sure you will all agree."

Heads nodded in anticipation.

"Go on. Please describe the activities you performed for the Barton Foundation," Mr. Bagley pressed.

"I was responsible for all the local activities of the Barton Foundation. I offered bribes to judges and policemen to look the other direction, or toss out cases against the Foundation's people that carried on the actual money-making activities –smuggling and selling of drugs and illegal firearms. I had no part in that; Quinze Barton and former police chief Zeches Marquise were the brains behind the organization."

"Please continue."

"They used the money from the drug and gun smuggling to fund several illegal contributions to various lawmakers in an attempt to influence their votes on important issues regarding foreign trade and weapons dealings. They used a dummy corporation to launder the money before actually sending the funds to the various officials."

"Do you know these officials' names?"

"Yes, they were provided with the various documents and other pieces of evidence I turned over to the FBI."

"Of course. Please forgive us, this deposition was arranged at the last minute."

Trowa smiled slightly.

"I believe this dummy corporation you are referring to, Cinq Toys and Collectibles, has Governor Darlian listed as a majority shareholder. Is he part of the Barton Foundation as well? If so, did he participate in the various illegal activities you mentioned before?"

"Governor Darlian wasn't part of the organization. He just looked the other way. He had a prior business relationship with Quinze that was used to Foundation's advantage. Basically, the Governor was being black mailed into protecting the Foundation's people that were already in place. It is also my understanding that Darlian's influence stopped an Internal Affairs investigation into Zeches' activities a couple of years ago."

Mr. Bagley's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Interesting. And yet didn't you tell Agent Krushrenada that Zeches wanted the Governor dead, and hired you to find an assassin?"

"Yes, that is correct. And when Agent Yuy stepped in and stopped the attempt, the Chief eventually tried to kill us both."

The defense team representing Zeches Marquise listened intently to Trowa's smooth recital. The lead attorney turned to his assistant and wrote a single note at the top of a fresh sheet of legal paper. "Plea bargain."

Trowa emerged from the hotel lobby and exited the side door. He climbed into the waiting van and greeted Agent Bloom.

"Don't look so glum, Trowa. You did a good thing today."

He smiled slightly at the bubbly redhead with such cheerful green eyes. "Where are we going, Cathy?"

She grinned, "You know better than that. But I can tell you that Relena's already there."

He nodded silently and closed his eyes, leaning back into his seat – completely unaware of the icy blue eyes watching him in the rearview mirror.


	24. She doesn’t need just another man in her...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Chapter 24

Trowa and the FBI's team of relocation specialists arrived just after dark at the motel that was serving as a safe house for the night. Relena greeted him at the doorway to his room. She smiled as he took her hand and kissed it gently, and then moved past her into the suite. There were two agents already in place within the room, as well as two posted right outside. Catherine, plus the two agents disguised as delivery drivers who accompanied her and Trowa to the safe house in the unmarked white van settled into the adjoining room to Trowa's suite.

Relena noticed that Trowa looked paler than usual, his green eyes dull with exhaustion. She smiled at him before turning to Catherine and politely asking if their group could leave her and Trowa alone for a while. Agent Bloom readily agreed and offered to send them dinner in an hour.

"Thank you," Relena replied as she watched the flurry of activity move into the other room. Though she stood directly facing the 'delivery driver' while she shut the door to the suite, she missed the cold stare of familiar blue eyes that focused on her every move.

Once they were alone, Relena turned her full attention to Trowa. "How did it go?" She asked quietly, sitting down next to him at the small, unremarkable 'dining' table. She was genuinely concerned about him; he looked completely drained.

"Fine," Trowa replied, shutting his eyes while sitting stiffly in the high backed motel chair that was as uncomfortable as it was ugly.

"Oh." She wondered briefly at why he was shutting her out, but dismissed his behavior as being due to the emotional strain of the day's ordeal. "You look tired, Trowa, you should get some rest," she said worriedly.

He nodded slightly. "But we have to talk first, Relena."

"I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow, Trowa," she said with a hint of a sad smile playing on her lips. "Or the next day. We do have our whole lives…" her voice trailed off as his eyes opened and she froze beneath his piercing gaze.

Trowa inwardly sighed at her words. He had done a lot of thinking the previous night and during the drive to the motel. It wasn't fair of him to ask her to go, not when he knew she truly loved someone else.

He and Yuy had been through a lot together during the last few years, developing a love/hate relationship that in all reality, he was going to somewhat miss. They understood each other like they were truly brothers. He knew that losing her again would hurt his friend deeply, and he just couldn't go through with it – no matter how much he wanted to keep her by his side. "That's just it, Relena. I'm not taking you with me," he said firmly, his eyes intense despite the slight glaze and dark circles surrounding them - the emptiness he felt was evident in his voice.

"What? But I thought…."

"Relena," he said harshly. "You'll be in too much danger with me." He decided to use the slightly less-than-honest approach, although it was another valid concern. She could be in danger with or without him. But here, Yuy could protect her. Out there, wherever they were supposed to be going, Trowa wasn't sure he could keep her safe.

"I promised, Trowa. I won't go back on my word."

"Then think of it as me going back on mine. I don't blame you Relena, you're not at fault, and I believe that you would stay true to your word. But I am no man of honor; I am a killer and a thief. Ask Yuy about that sometime." His voice had that same hard timbre of command he used with his former associates, but at the last sentence his tone softened, the end result being barely above a whisper.

She paled at the mention of her lover's name. "Trowa, I don't believe that," she whispered, placing her hand over his. He flinched at the contact and pulled away. She looked at him, hurt evident on her face. "I'm sorry," she said and bent her head to stare down at the floor.

In the room next door, Catherine watched as one of the agents dressed up like the delivery driver paced the floor in what appeared to be aggravation. The other driver and one more agent had already left to go pick up dinner for the group. A fourth agent had gone to the lobby to keep watch there.

Annoyed beyond belief at the man's relentless motion, she finally addressed him with false cheerfulness. "Hey hey, you might want to slow it down there, pal. You're wearing out the carpet." She looked at him and suddenly realized that he was handsome, despite the cruel look in his eyes. She struggled to remember his name.

"The room may not be secure. Are you certain it's safe to leave them in there alone, without surveillance?" The agent asked gruffly.

"We've gone over the room a dozen times. No one knows we're here. And besides, it is the night before their wedding, I was thinking they might want a little privacy," Catherine laughed. The driver stopped and shot her a cold glare that made her blanch. "Wh-what's your name? I'm afraid I've forgotten…." She asked, visibly shaken.

"Special Agent Maxwell," the man replied coldly.

"Oh, pleased to…" but Maxwell cut her off.

"This is precisely the lack of planning and poor decision-making that will get Trowa Barton killed. You don't know who is on your team, nor did you check thoroughly into your agent's backgrounds. I could have been anyone dressed up like a delivery driver, passing unchecked through our most secure areas! I'm taking over and calling the shots from now on," he commanded. "Open those doors, now."

"But…" Catherine protested weakly.

"I outrank you, Agent Bloom. Open the adjoining doors, you and I are going to stay in that room until the others come back with dinner and can relieve you," Maxwell barked.

Catherine moved to the door that adjoined the two rooms, and knocked loudly to alert the occupants of her intended presence. She found them sitting on the bed, leaning back against the headboard, fully clothed. Relena had her head on Trowa's good right shoulder, and held his hand in hers. They appeared to have been talking about something serious from the look on their faces. But the expression on Relena's face drastically changed as 'Special Agent Maxwell' stormed into the room behind Catherine. Relena stiffened immediately, sitting up straight in her surprise, and stared at the man that glowered at them from the doorway. "Heero?" She questioned, noticing how Trowa's grip on her hand tightened at Yuy's entrance.

Heero fought to keep his temper under control as he strode quickly to the other side of the room, and pulled her off the bed. Relena struggled in his grasp. "Heero! Let go of me!" She shouted as she squirmed in his grasp. She got her right arm free and lashed out, accidentally striking his left shoulder. He cried out, and released her. She caught herself, and looked up at him, her eyes quickly filling with concern. "Oh! Your shoulder, I'm sorry. Are you all right?" She gasped, while he doubled over in pain. "Heero, you're hurt. Here, let me look at it."

He waved her away. "Go with Catherine, Relena. There's something Trowa and I need to discuss." He said through clenched teeth, glaring at the amusement he found in Trowa's usually stoic gaze. "Alone."

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Trowa began once Catherine and Relena had left the room. "I knew you wouldn't let me go without saying goodbye," he said in his usual toneless voice.

Heero glared at him. "What more do you want from me, Trowa? Why this?"

Trowa smiled enigmatically, "You assume too much, my friend. This wasn't about you. You know how I feel about her."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "You're putting her in danger, Trowa, if you care so much, you'd let her stay where she would be safe."

Trowa's smile faded, and his jaw clenched. "Yes…you mean let her stay here with you."

"I'll protect her."

"Ah, yes, you were good at watching my back. But I'm afraid she needs more than that. You realize that she's alone now, my testimony puts her brother in jail for life, and her father's official announcement of his resignation will happen in a few days. She doesn't need just another man in her life, Heero…."

"You're giving me relationship advice?" Heero asked incredulously.

"She said that you didn't love her. She offered to go with me, to make me happy. I accepted her offer, gave her my word. Certainly, you don't want me to break my promise to her of a new life." Trowa sat back and waited for Yuy's angry explosion. It did so amuse him to watch his friend's ruthless temper. It was entertainment he wouldn't be seeing again any time soon. But it never came.

"Fine," Heero said flatly, ignoring the fact that a familiar feeling of wrongness suddenly overwhelmed him at his chosen words. Trowa was right; she didn't need just another man in her life. And that was what he was. Another man that would bring her heartache, and that had already caused her too much pain. She had enough people manipulating her destiny already, and here he was again, bargaining for what would make his own self happy, regardless of what she wanted or had decided to do. He suddenly realized that he couldn't be a party to this, it was her life and this was what she had chosen. He stood up from his chair, a distant look on his face, as he stared at the emptiness of defeat. "If that's what she wants, I won't stand in the way. Just take care of her, Trowa, and watch your back. I won't be there to do it for you anymore." He quickly crossed the room and left, never bothering to look back.

Trowa's eyes followed him out of the room, marveling at how easily Yuy had given up the woman that he loved. "Your scars run too deep, my friend. And I'm not ready to attend your funeral."

The other door opened, and a blond head peeked in. She glanced around before her eyes settled on Trowa, unmistakable pain flashing in her eyes as she regarded him. "Did you tell him?" She asked timidly.

"No, Relena. I haven't changed my mind, though. You're still going in the morning, but would you stay until it's time for me to leave?"

She smiled at him warmly, realizing what he was asking her to do. She could never truly give him her heart, and yet she cared enough to indulge him in this fairytale, if just for one night. She didn't hesitate, for that would have ruined the gesture – letting unwanted reality slip in through the crack under the door - and settled next to him on the bed in their same positions as earlier. She took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and sighed in all the contentment a dream can bring before it disappears in mists of light and truth. By the time the sun began to rise in the eastern morning sky, casting its beam in a cheerful glow, she was holding him close, and stroking his hair while he clung to her like she was a fleeting fantasy or a fading memory.

As he left for a brand new life, alone, Relena noticed gray storm clouds in the distance and looked up to see tears fall from the dawning heavens. He cupped her cheek and bent to kiss her softly before turning to go.


	25. And so I resign my office as Governor to...

I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

Epilogue

"And so it is with a heavy heart that I resign my office as Governor today…" Mr. Darlian spoke in front of a large crowd of reporters gathered inside the Governor's mansion. Just off center stage, a younger man with light blond hair and kind blue eyes adjusted his tie nervously for about the tenth time in the last two minutes. Dorothy smiled as she handed him the speech she had prepared for him the night before. "Thank you," he mouthed to her. She just nodded and then gestured toward the podium where Darlian was perched and now looking at him.

"Damn, I missed my introduction," Quatre thought as he plastered on a smile and with more confidence than he felt, took his place at the podium, and was sworn in as the next Governor.

Amidst the crowd, present bodily, but mentally off in her own world, Relena watched the proceedings with mixed feelings. She was saddened that her father had to leave office – politics was all that he knew and loved. But his illegal dealings with the Barton Foundation did not deserve to be forgiven by the public he was supposed to serve so selflessly. Nor was his interference in her life something that she could forget. She would forgive him in time, but they had lost something irreplaceable in their relationship; it was like she was losing her father when everyone else was only replacing a Governor.

Quatre took his place at the podium, and she smiled. They had been friends long ago when his father had been Darlian's political rival. She had felt like laughing when her father had asked the young man to be his running mate as a tribute to the elder Mr. Winner who had passed away a few years before. It was a bold move, and one that Relena had scorned, not because of Quatre, but because this was the same young man that her father had transferred her away from when she was a sophomore, and Quatre was a senior. Now he was Governor at barely thirty years old (the minimum age requirement was twenty-five) and Relena was happy for him, although he looked extremely nervous up there repeating the oath of office.

The main event over, Relena made her way outside of the Governor's mansion that she would never occupy again. The thought didn't really sadden her as much as it gave her a feeling of apprehension – for an unknown future that looked like she would be walking towards alone. Heero had left again, although who knows what Trowa had told him to make him go. He had said he didn't tell Heero that she wasn't going with him to his place of anonymity, but she knew that she couldn't hide from the FBI. If he wanted to find her, she was sure he would…and judging from the glimpse of a long braid belonging to a man in a dark blue suit supposedly 'blending into' the crowd, she figured Heero wouldn't be in the dark for long.

She made her way down the steps leading from the front of the house thinking of all that had happened in the last few weeks. Reunited with Heero, only to find out that he had been using her the same way her father and brother had been using her – and she, the ignorant dupe of them all. She hated that feeling – the one of betrayal that ate at her self-confidence and tender soul. Even though they had abused her trust, she still loved them – even Heero. Her heart ached for him, like it hadn't been ten years since he had left her the first time. She felt like that same lovesick teenager she was long ago, and yet this time it was so much worse. The pain in his eyes that she saw beneath the fury when he had thrown those awful photographs and again that night she threw him out of her hotel room, spoke volumes. Yet she couldn't bring herself to go to him, not knowing if it was all an act in a play she had been unwilling cast. She shouldn't depend on him - or anyone, for that matter; she should be prepared to go on alone, making a new life for herself in the dawn of another day.

The camera panned slowly across the crowd as Lt. Governor Winner repeated the solemn oath of office. "Stop tape," Heero called out to Duo. His friend quickly pressed the pause button on the remote. "Back it up." Duo grinned and pressed the slow button with an arrow pointing left. He knew what Heero had picked up on – he had been there himself that morning and seen her there….but payback was hell, and Duo just wanted to torment his friend a little longer before he finally gave Heero the address he had found that morning.

"There!" Heero pointed at the screen, his heart pounding in his chest. "Tell me that's not her."

"That's not her," Duo said trying not to laugh out loud.

"Hn." Heero glared at his friend, then turned back to the tape. He hadn't wanted to watch the blasted thing, afraid it would only bring to mind again those thoughts he had been trying all day to push aside - but Duo had insisted.

"I don't know how it could be her, Heero…." He said, his hand coming up to muffle his laughter. He suddenly lost his mirth as he came nose to nose with Heero's gun. He quickly pulled the piece of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it over to his friend. "She didn't go. I found out this morning, and was going to give you that address, but I owed you one for the lump you gave me."

"You'll be lucky if I don't give you another one," Heero growled, snatching the paper out of Duo's hand and scanning it. He holstered his gun and with hope soaring in his chest for the first time in days practically hurtled a sofa in his haste to get out the door.

"You're welcome!" Duo called out after him. "It's about damn time," he grumbled and went back to watching the tape of inauguration.

**AN**: Okay, before you start writing that flame…. grins I have some announcements to make. ahem

The first thing I would like to announce is that….**I started writing a sequel! **grins YAY! looks around to see if anyone else is cheering Hmmm…well, too bad, I'm writing it anyway.

The second item on the agenda has to do with my good friend's email regarding 'stolen' fanart:

Japanese Fanarts: To Admire But Not Steal by Aina Sakhalin 

Okay, I've been browsing through various GW pages lately and I've found that a lot of doujinshi scans and illustrations by various Japanese artists are being hosted or even modified without proper permission.

I'm sure a lot of the webmasters out there did not intend on "stealing" the pictures from these Japanese artists. However, it is very important for us, the North American fans, to know the clear line between admiring the arts of certain artists and stealing their works. I have personally talked to the artist, Himi Kanzaki (from the popular circle of "Plum Garden"), and here is what she said to me:

**"Neither the processing nor the distribution of my pictures can be permitted. It is not because you are from a foreign country, even the customer in Japan are rejected the same way. It does not feel good when the illustrations I drew are being processed by strangers in a place where I do not know of."**

What Himi-san said was actually a very mild version of how these artists felt.

I think that we should put a stop to this and set an example for new fans so they do not make the same mistake. And for that, I do hope that all of you will take a minute and look at your own page (if you have one). And if you have a picture that belongs to a Japanese artist, I would kindly ask you all to either email the artists to ask for permission or simply take it down. (It would be much wiser and much more polite if you take down the picture(s) before asking a specific artist for permission.)

As an avid doujinshi collector, I have a deep respect for these artists, and would really like them to continue drawing GW doujinshis. But if North American webmasters persist in taking these images without permission, they will stop producing Gundam Wing doujinshis and move onto other animes that are less popular over here! ACK! NO!

**Anyway, I'd like to say that no one is pointing any fingers; we're just trying to raise awareness! Thank you guys for reading it**. J

Final order of business…Please look for my new comedy, "**Missing by a Mile**" to premiere soon. My beta reader has been laughing at it…well, either it or me – maybe just me. But I'm hoping it's funny.

Sorry these were so long! Do you even remember the story ending, now? Ack! Well then re-read it before you review! Love you guys, and hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

-Rose

PS – Thank you for reading! J

For more information about the situation regarding 'stolen' fanart, please see the following articles:

http/ 


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